I curse Tim Cook and Jony Ive every time I trip over my power cord

Would Steve Jobs have killed the MacBook's MagSafe?

My take: It's not too late for Apple to do the right thing for the users' experience.

See the Apple 3.0 MagSafe archives.

9 Comments

David Emery said:

Well, the cord on my 2015 MagSafe leaves something to be desired. It’s become frayed just beyond the connector. I was able to reinforce it, but if they do a new MagSafe, they should definitely do a stronger braided cord. It would be totally bogus to have to toss out a power supply -just because the cord frayed-.

5

May 28, 2021
Log in to Reply
Jeff F said:

I liked the MagSafe. However, I’ve never had a problem with the current cable either.

Philip, that cable looks like you jumped rope with it – I would love to put a camera on you 🙂

There’s a group of customers that is just plain hard on some of this stuff. It’s why Apple pulled the folding “arms” on the old power charger for MacBook Pros – customers kept breaking them off! I loved those arms to neatly wrap the cable during storage.

5

May 28, 2021
Log in to Reply
Robert Stack said:

@PED: To answer your Q as to whether Steve would have allowed the killing of the original MagSafe charger: My answer is frankly NO! It was brilliant when it was first introduced, and the primary reason why I have not yet upgraded from my 2015 MBA. Like many, I tripped over my power cord too many times in the past (with previous MBPs) crashing them hard onto the floor.

3

May 28, 2021
Log in to Reply
Hugh Lovell said:

Part of the reasoning for eliminating MagSafe connectors, I heard, was that MacBook batteries have sufficient power to run the device throughout the day, so it’s not necessary to keep a power cord plugged in all the time. A interesting idea until it meets real world demands. High-end photography, video, audio editing sucks power like a camel sucks water at an oasis. Maybe the new M chips with their greater efficiency will make the “unplugged all day” idea come true.

4

May 28, 2021
Log in to Reply
Romeo A Esparrago Jr said:

My wife uses an ElecJet USB-C-to-legacy Magsafe dongle. It works as a workaround and lets us keep our still wonderful legacy 85W MagSafe adapters.

7

May 28, 2021
Log in to Reply
Joseph Bland said:

PED, you can choose to keep beating on this, as you have for years now, but the horse died a long time ago. I realize it rankles, but it’s like being obsessed with a tiny blemish on the Mona Lisa….

3

May 28, 2021
Log in to Reply
Alan Blair said:

PED, I hope you don’t trip over the power cord on your deep fryer as often as you apparently do on the one on your computer. (insert smiley-face emoji here).

4

May 28, 2021
Log in to Reply
Daniel Epstein said:

Usually I curse at a certain deity when I get bumped into, trip or hit my funny bone. It is a bad habit I have tried to curb but every once in a while something happens that I blurt out the name in vain. Philip should be happy if the reports are true of new computers with Mag safe coming out. I hope he gets his wish. I have never liked the USB C has to be the only connector concept even as a break out box gives me any thing I ever need. Post Jony Ive era Apple does seem to be reverting to some features that had disappeared. Even whole computer styles like the Mac Pro. Learning from experience is the mark of a good design department.

3

May 28, 2021
Log in to Reply
Thomas Williams said:

I’m on my 3rd Magsafe charger for the eldest laptop in the studio. 2nd charger turned out to be an Amazon counterfeit and was eventually disabled by a software update. 1st & 3rd chargers suffer from cable disintegration, covered in electrical tape, like all my Apple chargers. Even little adapters fall apart. Wireless charging & 3rd party cables help but accessories remain Apple’s true Achilles heel.

0

May 29, 2021
Log in to Reply