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A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

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Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#141

Post by Polylactic_acid »

slg wrote: post #134
Polylactic_acid wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

It is weird that they keep selling the XR but while I was at the store they didn't even show that as an option. It was just the SE, 11, 11 pro, 11 pro max.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#142

Post by kd913 »

Apocryphon wrote: post #109
chrisseaton wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is the iPhone as useful as before? So it’s the same price as before.

But now it's just the iPhone. It used to be the iPhone + earbuds and plug. It's objectively less product.

Who buys an iphone because of the included $0.50 plug and earbuds? Those products are mostly just straight e-waste at this point.

I don't see how people paying 1 grand from Apple are upset at not having $0.50 power brick. If it's a problem, you can get a USB A/USB C Amazon Basics dual bricks + braided lightning cable that will last forever and is objectively better quality.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#143

Post by ashtonkem »

I really hate arguments about how much electricity wireless phone charging wastes because it makes people feel like they’re doing something when in fact they aren’t. Charging a cell phone every day for a year consumes about 1-2 kWh per phone. The average American household consumes 10,399 kWh per year, meaning that a typical smart phone consumes one 5000th, (0.02%) of a typical home’s electricity (excl. natural gas) budget. With wireless charging being 60-75% efficient, the literal worst case scenario is that you go from 2kWh to 3kWh. While that’s not nothing, it is damn close to nothing compared to HVAC or commuting, some of which involve burning more fossil fuels above and beyond the 10,399 kWh figure above. And I fear that burning out consumers on changes that will literally save maybe 1lb of CO2 per year (avg. of 0.99lbs per kWh in the US) might exhaust their will to make more meaningful changes that would have a larger impact.

Heck, just not upgrading your phone every 2 years would have a bigger impact, since most of a phone’s emissions happen during production. Apple themselves say that each iPhone 12 will produce 70kg (154lb) of CO2 during its lifetime, 83% of that during production and only 14% during use.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#144

Post by poglet »

kd913 wrote: post #136
p1esk wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

The iPhone SE 2 no longer comes with the power brick.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#145

Post by function_seven »

908B64B197 wrote: post #133
criddell wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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.

Sure, there might be some niche corner case where it actually pencils out better. But that's not really helpful when assessing the impact of this on a global scale. There's some other scenario that's the opposite that cancels the benefit out.

And as far as heating is concerned, heat pumps are more efficient, and most electricity—when turned into resistive heat—is less efficient than burning the fuel directly.

So the only case where it would be a benefit is if your heat is fuel-based, but your power is renewable, and this condition lasts most of the year.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#146

Post by bradlys »

IndySun wrote: post #139
bradlys wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

I had another phone that broke. So I went back to my iPhone 5S that still had iOS 10. I didn't want to update because I figured it would make the experience worse.

To be honest, I don't know if my significant other's phone (iPhone 11 Pro) can even connect to my car anymore through the cable. (Bluetooth being the only other option - which has significantly worse audio quality and issues like static or something of the sort)

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#147

Post by jbverschoor »

Long find apple user here. They’re really starting to lose me. all this shaving every little thing annoys the bell out of me.

No long power cables anymore with laptops.

No headphones. Wouldn’t matter if they don’t break. Or if the airpods last > 15minures after a year.

Years have gone without fast chargers. Or usb c. Not they’re telling us that we already have enough chargers. We don’t. Because of you!

I’m not getting a new phone, and refuse to buy apple’s headphones, cables or chargers. And I recommend people against it if they ask.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#148

Post by pier25 »

toast0 wrote: post #62
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.

As a not Apple user, I've got way more usb As than usb Cs. All of the laptops I have have at least two usb As, and may only have one C, which is often the charging port. My desktops currently have one usb C each, but since they're mostly useless, my next round will have all As and no Cs. The couple of devices I have with C plugs have attached dongles to A plugs, so I'm not losing anything by preferring A.

I'm an Apple user and most of my devices still use USB-A.

My iMac 5K has TB3 ports but whenever I plug anything there the temps increase 10ºC which is a deal breaker IMO. I'm more than happy with the speeds of USB3 ports.

The only device I connect via USB-C regularly is my Android phone.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#149

Post by Apocryphon »

kd913 wrote: post #142
Apocryphon wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But now it's just the iPhone. It used to be the iPhone + earbuds and plug. It's objectively less product.

Who buys an iphone because of the included $0.50 plug and earbuds? Those products are mostly just straight e-waste at this point. I don't see how people paying 1 grand from Apple are upset at not having $0.50 power brick. If it's a problem, you can get a USB A/USB C Amazon Basics dual bricks + braided lightning cable that will last forever and is objectively better quality.

$19 on the Apple Store.

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD810LL/A/apple-5w-usb-po...

Granted, if you're enough of a sucker to buy these accessories directly, it's not Apple's fault; it's yours.

Re: A Guy Walks into an Apple Store

#150

Post by jbverschoor »

RandallBrown wrote: post #97
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?

I'm guessing a big part of it is the MASSIVE accessory ecosystem that's built around the iPhone. People have docks, cases, chargers, cables, etc. that all work with Lightning. I think also that USB-C is a more complicated protocol. Not all USB-C cables and ports are created equal and it could be a massive headache for them to deal with all the incompatibilities that might arise.

They dropped the 30pin connector, which had a lot more accessories. Same for the jack.
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