Regarding number of ports, consider this: Apple already has a fairly well-tested theory undergirding this in the Apple Display + Macbook combination. The Apple

Regarding number of ports, consider this: Apple already has a fairly well-tested theory undergirding this in the Apple Display + Macbook combination. The Apple Display pushes power to the notebook via magsafe and interfaces its host of ports (Ethernet, Firewire, Thunderbolt, USB) through a single Thunderbolt cable. In this new model, there will be only one cable necessary … and most users, while mobile, don't need more than one port at a time. And when plugged in, thanks to the new USB standard, the display its tethered to will push power and connectivity to it. The Macbook Air took it partially there, and now they're fully closing that loop.