Here We Go Again (Premium)

Will Surface Laptop 2 and Surface Pro 6 ship without USB-C ports? That's the rumor. And it makes no sense at all.

As most readers probably know, I've long promoted USB-C, when combined with Thunderbolt 3, as the future of PC connectivity. And as most readers probably know, Microsoft has a complicated and somewhat embarrassing history with this port.

And it really is a "history": Three long years ago, I complained that Microsoft not adding USB-C to the then-new Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book was problematic. Since then, the firm has shipped Surface Studio, Surface Laptop, and Surface Pro (2017) without this crucial interface, and for no good reason. Meanwhile, the two most recent Surface PCs, Surface Book 2 and Surface Go, each do include a USB-C port. But it's just a USB port, with no Thunderbolt capabilities.

Wa-waaa-waaaaah.

Yes, I have my own theories about Microsoft upgrading Surface Connect to something that is Thunderbolt 3-compatible, allowing Surface to belatedly join the rest of the PC industry. But if the most recent rumors are true, Microsoft may actually be taking a step back.

So. Let's step through this.

When we think about the possibilities in future Surface PCs with regards to USB-C, there are three potential outcomes. Microsoft uses both USB-C and Thunderbolt, as pro-level PCs require. It adds a USB-C port, matching the capabilities of its most recent Surface PCs. Or it takes a major step back in time and simply uses standard, full-sized USB-A ports instead.

Which is the most likely?

Frankly, I think it's the second option: Adding a USB-C port to each device lets Microsoft have it both ways by (somewhat) satisfying complaining enthusiasts by taking one step forward into the future. And when you consider that this port can and should replace the legacy mini-DisplayPort that most previous Surface PCs utilized, it's a fair swap. There's still at least one USB-A port and you still need a dongle for video-out as before.

Were I betting man, and I'm not, I would bet on that outcome: Because the new PCs are basically identical to the models they are replacing, it's easy to use old images, perhaps colorized for new options, and fool us all. Microsoft is at least that canny.

The most unlikely choice?

That's easy: Microsoft moving to full-on USB-C/Thunderbolt. While I would embrace this choice, would in fact stand up and applaud it, I just don't see the overly-cautious Surface team doing this.

And then there's that third awful choice, going back to USB-A.

Sounds far-fetched, right?

Well, not exactly: Many are now claiming that Apple perhaps too quickly and fully embraced USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 years ago. And it's fair to argue that, if Apple can't pull this off, how could Microsoft?

Microsoft could use this argument as its rationale for doing what's best for customers. USB-C is unproven. It's incompatible. There are reliability issues, depending on the cable. And my God, the dongles. We'll...