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A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

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Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#131

Post by bobbylarrybobby »

paxys wrote: post #86
radimm wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Depends how you look at it. If I consider the amount of cables/charges/earpods we have as family this is logical move. We don’t upgrade all the devices every year but it still adds up. Most of them are just throwaway.

While people do have a million chargers lying around from over the years, almost none of them will work with the new iPhone. The average Apple enthusiast will still end up buying one or more separately.

The phone doesn’t care about the brick. It only cares about one end of the cable. All your old USB-A lightning cables still work with their USB-A bricks.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#132

Post by bradlys »

jbombadil wrote: post #119
samatman wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm indifferent. On the one hand, yeah, USB-C works great, and everything else I own takes it. On the other hand, Lightning also works great, USB-C isn't an improvement on the merits, and iPhone users have a bunch of accessories for it. Like in my car, I have a 12v charger with one USB-A port and a built-in Lightning cable, and I'd have to either junk it or just ignore the built in cable if they went USB-C. I'm prett…

My concern with them removing the port is what what would happen to everyone whose car's entertainment unit supports CarPlay but not wireless CarPlay?

It’s not like Apple’s software works forever in all cars. I have a 2013 BMW that doesn’t play nicely with my iPhone and I’m on iOS 10 still. It played nicely on previous versions but has gotten worse and worse as time has gone on.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#133

Post by 908B64B197 »

criddell wrote: post #36
Bud wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? All of those old USB-A chargers and USB-A/Lightning cables will still charge the new iPhones perfectly well. So will every iPad charger ever made, btw. And every USB-C Mac charger ever made. Honestly, it doesn't matter whether you or any particular observer wants to give credit for this reducing e-waste or being "eco-friendly". It's a plainly obvious fact that it will massively reduce e-waste and be a massive ne…

> a massive net positive on the eco-friendly front Isn't wireless charging a big step backwards with respect to power efficiency? With the millions of phones they sell and the fact that every one of them is charged daily, are the losses due to Apples new charging scheme insignificant?

Since the waste product is heat, and if you live in a place where you need heating most of the year it's simply shifting heat generation from your heater to your phone.

In some places where heating is still done with natural gas you might even be more eco-friendly by having an inefficient charger.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#134

Post by slg »

Polylactic_acid wrote: post #94
slg wrote: post #29

>"Hello, I'd like to buy one of the new iPhones, please!" >"Sure thing, here's the new iPhone 12. It's fast, beautiful, and is generally awesome." >"Sweet, I'll take it..." I guess this is a different topic, but it wouldn't play out like this. You have to decide if you want the iPhone 12, the 12 Pro, the 12 Pro Max, the 12 mini, the SE, the 11, or the XR and then you decide do you want the white, black, blue, green,…

Its not really difficult though. When I went in to the store they showed me a row of 4 phones and told me the 11 was the most sensible option as well as the benefits you get from the pro. Picking a colour and storage option wasn't really an issue either.

Odds are no one reading HN is going to find this "difficult", but there is no question that this is a noticeable diversion from earlier eras and that the sheer number of options can be confusing for some people. Take a look at this graphic [1]. There was a point early on in which there was zero choice and Apple sold only one iPhone. There were several years in which they usually offered somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-6 options. Recently this number ballooned up and right now there are 20 options. And this doesn't even include color or carrier differences.

Honestly, I would be less annoyed by this if Apple wasn't still selling the iPhone XR. It is 2 year old hardware and Apple seems willing to keep selling it for another year. The only reason it is still being sold appears to be that someone in a boardroom in Cupertino said "we need a product between the $399 iPhone SE and the $599 iPhone 11." Meanwhile customers are likely better served by buying either the SE or the 11 over the XR. This approach of "name your price point, here is the iPhone for you" just seem antithetical to the way that Apple used to approach products.

[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Timeline_of_iPhone_mo...

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#135

Post by chrischen »

jbombadil wrote: post #119
samatman wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm indifferent. On the one hand, yeah, USB-C works great, and everything else I own takes it. On the other hand, Lightning also works great, USB-C isn't an improvement on the merits, and iPhone users have a bunch of accessories for it. Like in my car, I have a 12v charger with one USB-A port and a built-in Lightning cable, and I'd have to either junk it or just ignore the built in cable if they went USB-C. I'm prett…

My concern with them removing the port is what what would happen to everyone whose car's entertainment unit supports CarPlay but not wireless CarPlay?

You get a little adapter like the ones they have for audio jacks. You can super glue it onto your existing cable if you have some sort of philosophical bias against dongles/adapters.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#136

Post by kd913 »

p1esk wrote: post #61
toast0 wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't Apple giving you a new option here? Before, you were forced to buy the bundled wall wart, now you have the option to keep using what you had or buy a charger if you need it? They're still forcing a bundled cable, but it's a different cable you probably don't have many of?

But, just like with hotels, you’re still paying the same price.

Then don't get an iphone 12? People who are buying an iphone aren't doing it because of the included power brick.

There is the iphone SE 2, Pixel 4a etc...

If it's such a problem, buy a braided cable from Amazon and power brick. Cheaper cost, better quality and will last longer than any Apple charger.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#137

Post by 908B64B197 »

rsync wrote: post #47
chrisseaton wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you want a USB-A charging cable in 2020? My laptops don't have that anymore, and I don't even have recent laptops. Like most people I know would have to to use a dongle. No thanks. Move as quickly as possible to USB-C, please Apple, and no need for charging bricks anymore. > it really feels like a cost cutting measure they are trying really hard to spin as an eco-friendly one This is cynical.

"Why do you want a USB-A charging cable in 2020?" Lots of wall socket USB charging ports are USB-A - even nice new ones with qualcomm quick charge (or whatever it is). Personally, I would much prefer utility ports (on the wall, in the rack, on the backs of computers) to remain USB-A and leave the mini connectors on the devices themselves...

And cars, and planes.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#138

Post by kd913 »

jtsiskin wrote: post #35

Everything in my life is now using USB-C charging, except for my iPhone. Is there a technical reason why Apple prefers their lightning cable over USB-C, or is it purely business related?

Last I checked Apple makes $4 for each lightning cable end on licensing fees. That is probably the primary reason.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#139

Post by IndySun »

bradlys wrote: post #132
jbombadil wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My concern with them removing the port is what what would happen to everyone whose car's entertainment unit supports CarPlay but not wireless CarPlay?

It’s not like Apple’s software works forever in all cars. I have a 2013 BMW that doesn’t play nicely with my iPhone and I’m on iOS 10 still. It played nicely on previous versions but has gotten worse and worse as time has gone on.

Bradlys, Do you use a phone that cannot go higher than iOS10, or have you ingeniously managed to not update for all this time?

You must use iTunes to back up, via cable, right?

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#140

Post by yoz-y »

p1esk wrote: post #61
toast0 wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't Apple giving you a new option here? Before, you were forced to buy the bundled wall wart, now you have the option to keep using what you had or buy a charger if you need it? They're still forcing a bundled cable, but it's a different cable you probably don't have many of?

But, just like with hotels, you’re still paying the same price.

Some hotels give you a discount for the next stay.
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