Apple officially declared the mid-2012 13-inch MacBook Pro, the last MacBook Pro to include an optical drive, obsolete.
This means Apple will no longer provide hardware repairs or software support for this model.
The announcement is no surprise, as Apple has been gradually phasing out optical drives from its laptops for years.
The company first removed the optical drive from the MacBook Air in 2011 and then from the MacBook Pro in 2012.
Removing optical drives is part of Apple’s broader strategy to make its laptops thinner and lighter.
Optical drives are relatively bulky and heavy and take up valuable space inside a laptop.
Additionally, optical media such as CDs and DVDs has declined in recent years as users increasingly turn to streaming services and digital downloads for their music, movies, and other content.
While removing optical drives may be convenient for some users, it can be frustrating for others who still rely on physical media.
Several third-party external optical drives are available for purchase, but these can be bulky and inconvenient to carry around.
Additionally, some users may have large collections of CDs and DVDs that they would like to continue to access.
There are a few options for users who still need an optical drive.
They can purchase a third-party external optical drive or upgrade to a newer MacBook Pro that does not have an optical drive.
Apple also sells an external SuperDrive for customers who need a CD/DVD drive, but a USB-C adapter is required to use it with modern MacBooks.
The obsolescence of the last MacBook Pro with an optical drive marks the end of an era for physical media on Apple’s laptops.
While the move may be convenient for some users, it will frustrate others who still rely on CDs and DVDs.