Apple MacBook Pro refresh to get HDMI and SD card reader

As I noted in my review of the Apple MacBook Air M1, one of the things these machines miss is a couple of extra ports. For the MacBook Air this is still somewhat forgivable but for the more productivity-aimed MacBook Pro the lack of anything but four USB Type-C can be a nuisance. You can solve this with a hub or adaptors, but a lot of folks just want to see it included by default.

It seems Apple has listened to the feedback as rumors are intensifying about the MacBook Pro refresh getting more ports. Citing a report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is often quite right about Apple, MacRumors writes the upcoming MacBook Pro models will get not only an HDMI port but also an SD memory card reader.

Apple is expected to introduce 14" and 16" MacBook Pro laptops with Apple Silicon in the second half of this year. This is good news as it will make it easier to connect existing displays or beamers to MacBook Pros, and content creators will be excited about being able to mount SD cards directly.

Last month, Kuo said Apple is planning all-new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with several changes, including the return of the classic MagSafe charging connector with a breakaway power cable, the removal of the Touch Bar, a new flat-edged design, and the return of more ports built into the notebooks for expanded connectivity. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman echoed many of these details in his reporting.