I hope USB-C (the connector at least) never becomes the standard. I have a MBP with these god awful ports and it's really frustrating how bad the connector is.
There are DJs for whom the macbook pro is required equipment for their performances. They're performing in front of 10s and sometimes >100 thousand people. Their midi controllers, and their SOUND CARDS (really a DJ mixer, most likely) are connected by: USB A.
USB-C doesn't have the sort of retention that USB A does, at least the ports on my super expensive laptop don't. At this point, they cable would likely just fall out if I tipped the laptop sideways.
Thing is: there are LOTS of things for which this type of thing is true. I've done lighting shows where this MBP was running a large lighting element on a large stage, and it was all dependent on that crappy USB-C connector, and a chain of dongles (!!!). Same thing is going to be true for interactive art installations, (some) large lighting shows. All sorts of stuff. So annoying.
If you currently use your mac for audio and are about to upgrade, be warned; there seems to be endemic audio issues with the newer 2018 models: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19196354
Like other posters I've had USB-A ports go "sloppy" and loose in a number of laptops and other devices.
I have exactly the opposite experience. I find that USB-A connectors tend to become loose over time, and eventually a mild bump is enough that the device disconnects (even though it looks like it's still 100% plugged in). No such issues with USB-C yet.
It's much more evident with USB 3.0. I can almost never use USB 3 drives on my laptop because they won't connect. Maybe 1/10 times it'll connect fully, but any touching the cable will disconnect it.
GGP here - I was talking about the USB-A connector. I think the issue is the physical size of the connector - it catches on things, and when I use it in non-desk locations (couch, mostly), the larger protrusion from the main chassis of the laptop makes it more likely to move around. Over time, it makes the socket looser and looser.
There are DJs for whom the macbook pro is required equipment for their performances. They're performing in front of 10s and sometimes >100 thousand people. Their midi controllers, and their SOUND CARDS (really a DJ mixer, most likely) are connected by: USB A.
USB-C doesn't have the sort of retention that USB A does, at least the ports on my super expensive laptop don't. At this point, they cable would likely just fall out if I tipped the laptop sideways.
Thing is: there are LOTS of things for which this type of thing is true. I've done lighting shows where this MBP was running a large lighting element on a large stage, and it was all dependent on that crappy USB-C connector, and a chain of dongles (!!!). Same thing is going to be true for interactive art installations, (some) large lighting shows. All sorts of stuff. So annoying.