Ben Lovejoy, writing for 9to5mac:

Apple was an early adopter of the Thunderbolt standard, which allowed a single port to be used for both high-speed data transfer and DisplayPort monitor connections. Intel’s integration of the two standards would allow Apple to replace the Thunderbolt port in the MacBook Pro range while still maintaining full compatibility with existing peripherals.

Full compatibility, with the purchase of an adapter. Not a fan of port changeover, though the market clearly is. Money out of our pockets to buy adapters, money that drives the accessory/adapter market.

That said, I am a fan of standards, especially when it reduces the total number of cables I need to worry about. The move towards USB as a standard for cell phone chargers broke the cycle of waste, reducing the replacement charger options from a river of models to a handful, all of them with a USB plug on one end of the cable.

The move to USB-C is a short term pain, a long term gain.