And yet forwards-compatible with practically all USB devices that will be made going forward.
In other words, they did what you must do in order to move forward to a new, superior standard which gives 40 Gbps performance plus power in AND out on all 4 ports.
I don't need 40Gbps to run my mouse, and I shouldn't have to spend more money on an already egregiously overpriced machine to get an adapter. I don't want another adapter to output to my monitor. I don't want another adapter to connect to ethernet.
USB C doesn't need to be all or nothing. They could include 2 USB C and 2 USB A and solve half of these problems. Throw in a MiniDisplayPort or an HDMI and we're set.
> I don't want another adapter to connect to ethernet.
You're about 4 years too late there.
> USB C doesn't need to be all or nothing.
It has to be if your ultimate goal is for it to become universal eventually. As long as legacy interfaces are available accessory manufacturers have little incentive to build type C devices as they can keep plugging away without, so they won't.
> They could include 2 USB C and 2 USB A and solve half of these problems. Throw in a MiniDisplayPort or an HDMI and we're set.
You're set, and they have to support these interfaces they don't want forever. Because don't be mistaken, that's what their endgame is, that's what Apple has been looking for since they removed the floppy drive and started moving "slow" IO to USB back in 1998.
So, all the tech we use that uses USB A will disappear in the next year? It's ok, I can just spend more money so my keyboard and mouse can work with my $2400 machine.
Get a USB-C to USB A adapter for the keyboard ($19 from Apple, less than $10 from others). My stuff is all plugged into a relatively new Thunderbolt dock, I'll get a $49 Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter.
USB-C is a better connector that can sweep away all the USB connector types that have come before. Products can't switch fast enough. I wish the iPhone 7 used it instead of Lightning but Lightning is thinner so they probably never will.
No, they put 4 instead of the old 2, and they quadruple up as charging, video and high-speed interconnect.