Intel refusal to license thunderbolt external GPU is infuriating, and the sole rationalization I can see is that they are blocking it to protect premium price on their high end integrated GPUs. It really feels like a big let down.
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Imagine an apple-manufactured external graphics card that you can carry around and plug into your MacBook Air/Pro.
It could boost sales pretty significantly. I know quite a few people who did not buy a MacBook just because games don't run well enough, and went for another brand that fits their needs in this area (the bigger MacBooks are more expensive, and their advantage to competitors disappears).
So, their reasoning is probably similar to why Intel doesn't do it in the first place: it would eat into the sales of other more niche products. Lame.
I doubt anyone expects them to actually come through with an external GPU option, of course, but it'd certainly be of interest to me, given Second Life's stiff requirements for long draw distances with all the lighting options enabled.
Crazy limitation of a good interface.