There was just no room in the design for it. Replacing USB-A would hurt backwards compatibility. Replacing MiniDP would lead users to expect Thunderbolt 3 fun

There was just no room in the design for it. Replacing USB-A would hurt backwards compatibility. Replacing MiniDP would lead users to expect Thunderbolt 3 functionality Replacing the proprietary power/dock connector would brand it as a cheaper second-class device along the lines of the non-pro Surface 3