[NewsPoster]

On Monday, Apple issued a firmware update for its USB-C Multiport Adapter, version 1.0, that according to the company "improves the compatibility and reliability of your Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, or Apple USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter," a pair of peripheral adapters that currently work only with the USB-C compatible 2015 MacBook. The update requires the MacBook be running OS X 10.11.4 El Capitan, the latest released version, and that the adapter be plugged in at the time.

In its instructions for both preparing for the update as well as applying it, Apple says that all external devices (such as displays, thumb drives, and hard drives, and hard-wired network connections) should be disconnected from the adapters. The USB-C Multiport Adapter, whichever one the user has, should be plugged into the USB-C port. Because both of the adapters offer a power pass-through, the MacBook should be connected to power during the firmware update.

Both of the USB-C Multiport Adapters

Following this, users can install the update via an alert that will appear where notifications usually appear, the upper-right corner of the MacBook screen. As with other firmware updates, Apple cautions that the computer must not be turned off, nor the adapter disconnected, during the update process -- which involves one or more restarts. A successful update will change the adapter's version number to 2.33. If a user has both adapters, simply repeat the process for the second adapter. The update is available through the Software Update tab on the Mac App Store.

[Inkling]

Both those adapters seem to be on a diet of ugly pills. Couldn't Apple have made them look better and be more functional by wrapping the ports around three sides? That would also eliminate any problems with larger plugs. White is also getting tiresome. How about something different? This looks like the adapters Apple and cheap clone makers have been turning out for at least a decade.

[Mike Wuerthele]

Ports wrapped around the sides is LESS functional from a cable management standpoint.

There are enough really slick third party offerings at this point, that if you don't want to buy the Apple adapter, you don't have to.

[jmonty12]

Would have been nice if there was another USB-C on the back. This both allow for nice cable management and remove the necessity for the power passthrough, which is a terrible waste of space and opportunity.

[Mike Wuerthele]

That, I'd go with.

Part of the problem, is the USB C 3.0 implementation is a bit bandwidth starved. USB C 3.1 has twice the bandwidth, and it'll be less of an issue.

[sampaxi]

hey @mike @jmonty12 @inkling, Ive noticed one adapter in particular that has USB C out the back and wraps around on this website www.kadicreative.com