As we noted on Monday, Apple's new MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro use a new MagSafe 2 charging standard that is thinner and wider than the previous MagSafe. In order to assist people using the new machines with older equipment like chargers and displays, Apple released a small MagSafe to MagSafe 2 Converter for $9.99 to ensure continued compatibility.
Apple has not updated its Apple Thunderbolt Display with the new MagSafe 2 standard, but as mentioned on its online store page, the company is now including a free MagSafe to MagSafe 2 Converter with newly-purchased displays.
It certainly is not a tremendous cost for Apple to include a $9.99 adapter (which actually costs Apple significantly less) with a $999 purchase, but it is a convenient inclusion for new purchasers who otherwise might not realize that they need a converter. Those who are aware of the new MagSafe 2 standard should also be aware that they do not need to purchase a separate converter if they wish to purchase an Apple Thunderbolt Display.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie.
"Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
The converter should have been included in the box with all RMBPs.
Apple looks to the future, not the past. The Retina MacBook Pro works as intended out of the box without the converter, and it would be unnecessary for a significant number of people who wouldn't be using it with a display or an older power adapter. So to Apple it would mainly serve to clutter up the clean presentation inside the box. :)
Bundling it with the Thunderbolt Display will likely see a greater proportion of people needing to use it, and even many of those who don't need it yet will likely need it in the future when they buy new machines.
the factory seal on both of the tb display boxes i received this afternoon was cut and retaped over with a duplicate seal, presumably to drop in the card insert with the adapter.
They should include all necessary adapters with the products.
For the new MBP, "necessary adapters" could mean all, some or fewer of:
* Thunderbolt/MiniDisplayPort to VGA
* Thunderbolt/MiniDisplayPort to DVI
* Thunderbolt/MiniDisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI
* Thunderbolt/MiniDisplayPort to full DisplayPort
* Thunderbolt/MiniDisplayPort to HDMI (maybe you want 2 HDMI monitors?)
* TOSLink to 3.5mm optical (digital audio)
* HDMI to DVI (maybe you want both TB ports for discs)
* Thunderbolt to Ethernet
* Thunderbolt to FireWire
...all of which will be essential to someone and completely useless to others.
The last two are pretty non-trivial bits of electronics, and $30 for the TB-to-Ethernet is actually cheaper than a TB-to-TB cable. I'm pretty sure some of the MiniDisplayPort-to-X adapters are active (i.e. they've got electronics in them) rather than just plug adapters.
I just don't understand why they didn't make the Thunderbolt spec capable of carrying enough power for a laptop in the first place
Generally, the computer is the power source for the Thunderbolt bus. What happens if someone daisy-chains a disc drive between computer and monitor?
Also, more power means thicker cables, bigger pins on the connector.
The fact that Thunderbolt was initially planned as an optical interface may also have had an effect - and remember, Thunderbolt isn't just Apple's toy - its a standard. Maybe having the computer powered by the monitor wasn't on other stakeholders' agendas?
More interestingly, I wonder why they didn't develop this idea - adding data lines to the magsafe connector:
https://www.geekwebguides.com/2011/02/17/apple-tech-watch-oled-displays-magsafe-power-data-connector-live-device-configuration/
...possibly worried about introducing non-standard connectors to Thunderbolt, or being compelled to license MagSafe to other Thunderbolt customers?
Calling this "generous" is ridiculous. It's essential; or how would you explain to a customer who bought the high-end display and the high-end laptop that they can't use them together without an additional adapter?
I think the TB display is really due for an update. The internals seem kludgy and unnecessarily complex and expensive (there's more stuff than in a MBP).
As we noted on Monday, Apple's new MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro use a new MagSafe 2 charging standard that is thinner and wider than the previous MagSafe. In order to assist people using the new machines with older equipment like chargers and displays, Apple released a small MagSafe to MagSafe 2 Converter for $9.99 to ensure continued compatibility.
