Jason Snell Charts the Number and Type of Ports in Mac Laptops Since 2001 ⇥ sixcolors.com

I’m nitpicking here, but I disagree with Snell’s choice to merge FireWire and Thunderbolt numbers on this chart, since it gives the impression that they are equally comparable, and that recent Mac laptops do not contain display or power ports.

Still, the decline in ports on Apple’s flagship notebook model is striking. It demonstrates the replacement of cabled peripherals with wireless equivalents, but it also indicates shifting priorities for what Apple thinks a typical notebook ought to include. While neither an ExpressCard or SD Card slot are ports, per se, I think the removal of those connection options is also noteworthy.