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EU lawmakers snub Apple's pleas, vote to push for charging cable standard

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Re: EU lawmakers snub Apple's pleas, vote to push for charging cable standard

#121

Post by LaGrange »

eanzenberg wrote: post #59
SiempreViernes wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? The resolution states that the commission should make sure the standard can be updated as technology develops: "[...] the Commission, without hampering innovation, should ensure that the legislative framework for a common charger will be scrutinised regularly in order to take into account technical progress; reiterates the importance of research and innovation in this domain to improve existing technologies and…

Because gov't moves as fast as innovation /s

It's good that they don't. I'm fine waiting a bit longer for a slightly better charger port.

Re: EU lawmakers snub Apple's pleas, vote to push for charging cable standard

#122

Post by henryfjordan »

ac29 wrote: post #95
martin-adams wrote: post #37

Let’s say this rule was in place 10 years ago and we standardised on micro USB. How would it have been possible to advance to the next generation of technology like USB-C. This feels that it’s banking on USB-C being forever future proofed or wireless connections does everything we ever need.

This did happen 10 years ago, and they did standardize on micro-USB [0]. Use of the standard was voluntary, though. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_external_power_supply

And because it was only voluntary, Apple was able to innovate and create the lightning port which worked in either orientation and inspired the adoption of USB-C by the rest of the world

Re: EU lawmakers snub Apple's pleas, vote to push for charging cable standard

#123

Post by iSnow »

jariel wrote: post #108
sschueller wrote: post #5

The only reason this happened is because one company refusees to play ball. Everyone else already figured out that it's better for consumers and them. Apple would sell you a non standard power socket for your house if they could.

"The only reason this happened is that one company refuses to play ball" No, not at all. It happened because legislators in the EU don't understand tech, don't understand re-cycling, don't understand the industry, but they all use iPhones+Androids and wonder why 'there are so many goddam cables'. It's a very specific problem that just happens to be visceral and immediate with the people in charge: they can all relate…

Haha, I've been around when tech-illiterate regulators from the EU weren't around to stymie innovation in the oh-so important field of power connectors.

In fact, I still have a box full of wall-warts from at least 5 phone manufacturers, and not one would fit on a different maker's phone. In fact, for some producers, the power plugs were even different for different models.

Yeah, I so miss those days.

Re: EU lawmakers snub Apple's pleas, vote to push for charging cable standard

#124

Post by lukifer »

martin8412 wrote: post #114
lukifer wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Locking onto USB-C now could be a very "640k ought to be enough for everybody" moment. I agree in general; but at some point don't we hit diminishing returns? If I were to say, "18.4 exabytes of RAM ought to be enough for everybody", that'd be basically correct, even future-proofing for the craziest sci-fi holodeck use cases we can imagine, right?

Just like 32 bits for IP addresses should be sufficient for all use cases?

Well, there's the rub: 32 bits for IPv4 was clearly inadequate. IPv6, on the other hand, gives us with 128 bits = 3.4 x 10^38 addresses, which seems from our vantage point like it should cover us until the end of time, even if we colonized the whole galaxy. Is that actually the case? Time will tell. ;)

Re: EU lawmakers snub Apple's pleas, vote to push for charging cable standard

#125

Post by _bxg1 »

I'm not someone who's shy about regulation, but even I think this is totally unnecessary. As an Apple user, I should be the first to complain about their own internal (inexplicable) lack of a standard (Lightning for phones, USB-C for everything else). It's annoying, sure, but it's far from a material burden on my quality of life.

Is this really the problem we need to be spending our regulatory energies on in 2020?

Re: EU lawmakers snub Apple's pleas, vote to push for charging cable standard

#126

Post by eanzenberg »

ApolloFortyNine wrote: post #89
reaperducer wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well right now, if you are not fully locked into the Apple ecosystem, you require two cables. That's quite a waste, no? No. I am not locked into the Apple ecosystem. Having two cables enables me to charge two devices at the same time, no?

What if you want a cable in your office, and in the bedroom? One at work, one at home, one in the car? Are you going to make me list out every scenario that is doubled?

Sigh these arguments are tiresome. I've already went full wireless at home, in the car and at work. Never been happier.

Re: EU lawmakers snub Apple's pleas, vote to push for charging cable standard

#127

Post by veeralpatel979 »

I'm with Apple on this one.

Apple has kept working on improving the charging experience for its phones over time. The original iPhone cable, then lightning, then wireless charging. This stifles innovation.

Also: doesn't the government have more pressing concerns to worry about?

I doubt Apple's lobbying against this for some nefarious reason, like locking users into their proprietary technology.

Re: EU lawmakers snub Apple's pleas, vote to push for charging cable standard

#128

Post by alt_f4 »

_bxg1 wrote: post #125

I'm not someone who's shy about regulation, but even I think this is totally unnecessary. As an Apple user, I should be the first to complain about their own internal (inexplicable) lack of a standard (Lightning for phones, USB-C for everything else). It's annoying, sure, but it's far from a material burden on my quality of life. Is this really the problem we need to be spending our regulatory energies on in 2020?

Every time you are buying a charger, wired headphones or any other iPhone accessory, Apple collects a hefty license fee and you, indirectly, are paying it.

Originally, the lightning port was a big improvement over existing tech. Currently though, the only reason the lightning port still exists is because it is a good way for Apple to use their market dominant position to milk consumers. It is not good for consumers, it is also not good for the environment. It is good just for Apple.

It is generally the job of the govt to prevent these types of abuses. Is this particular law worded the right way for that? Maybe, maybe not, but it will do the job for this particular case.

Re: EU lawmakers snub Apple's pleas, vote to push for charging cable standard

#129

Post by _bxg1 »

alt_f4 wrote: post #128
_bxg1 wrote: post #125

I'm not someone who's shy about regulation, but even I think this is totally unnecessary. As an Apple user, I should be the first to complain about their own internal (inexplicable) lack of a standard (Lightning for phones, USB-C for everything else). It's annoying, sure, but it's far from a material burden on my quality of life. Is this really the problem we need to be spending our regulatory energies on in 2020?

Every time you are buying a charger, wired headphones or any other iPhone accessory, Apple collects a hefty license fee and you, indirectly, are paying it. Originally, the lightning port was a big improvement over existing tech. Currently though, the only reason the lightning port still exists is because it is a good way for Apple to use their market dominant position to milk consumers. It is not good for consumers,…

That makes sense, but usually they aren't so blatant about that sort of thing; usually there's some sort of pretense at least. Especially given how "brave" they've been about pushing USB-C on their laptops; I'd have more sympathy for that if they were at least self-consistent.

But still, despite all of this salt I don't think it warrants legislation.

Re: EU lawmakers snub Apple's pleas, vote to push for charging cable standard

#130

Post by ashildr »

monocasa wrote: post #109
GeekyBear wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't need anything but the cable that came with your phone.

Whereas the entire point of the regulation is to not need the cord that came with your phone, but to use anyone's. They got tired of all the proprietary connectors back in the feature phone days.

So what specific kind of USB-C cable will be allowed to be packed with my next shiny for the decades to come? What kind of USB-PD will the phone be allowed to support and - if the phone supports a higher voltage/amperage combination than the EU fixed in 2020 - will I have to buy an additional cable to support this?

How did we ever switch from SCART to HDMI after the EU forced the TV manufacturers to only support SCART in 1996? Oh, it didn’t.

This is complete and utter nonsense. Apple’s powerplugs for iPhone/iPad only ever came with USB-A - or now with USB-C. They thankfully switched their lightning port before USB-C was even published, when everybody was still selling broken micro-USB or barrel connectors. There are many problems to solve, but Lightning isn’t one.

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