ACE: Apple Type-C Port Controller Secrets • Hacker News Board

Re: ACE: Apple Type-C Port Controller Secrets

#81

Post by technimad » Wed, Dec 30, 2020, 4:16 PM UTC

bluefirex wrote: post #55

bluejekyll wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, Apple seems to be very confused in this regard. They’ve committed to USB-C for all of their computers, but then are continuing to push lightning for all the other portable devices. It’s hard not to be annoyed at them about this. Enough to not buy Apple again? No, not yet, but I’d be lying if it’s not a reason why I’ve delayed purchasing a new device. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and makes me grumpy. So I’l…

USB-C is now a requirement for me to upgrade my iPhone. I'm holding onto my XS until they switch to that.

The future of iPhone charging is wireless. The current iPhone12 with MagSafe is the first of the new system. I predict future iPhones will have no physical ports at all, 100% wireless.

Re: ACE: Apple Type-C Port Controller Secrets

#82

Post by laumars » Wed, Dec 30, 2020, 4:20 PM UTC

bluefirex wrote: post #55

bluejekyll wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, Apple seems to be very confused in this regard. They’ve committed to USB-C for all of their computers, but then are continuing to push lightning for all the other portable devices. It’s hard not to be annoyed at them about this. Enough to not buy Apple again? No, not yet, but I’d be lying if it’s not a reason why I’ve delayed purchasing a new device. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and makes me grumpy. So I’l…

USB-C is now a requirement for me to upgrade my iPhone. I'm holding onto my XS until they switch to that.

I had to clean the lightning socket on my iPhone XS as it had some pocket fluff inside that prevented the cable from filling clicking in. Cleaning it was trivial, just some cardboard and a well positioned light source.

On the flip side, cleaning out USB-C sockets from the same types of fluff is a pain because the data pins are in an island in the middle of the socket. Which gives you both less room (is requiring you to use a thinner implement) but also a greater risk of damaging the socket.

USB micro had the same problems as well.

I really with USB would address this because, with the best will in the world, devices sometimes get dirty.

Re: ACE: Apple Type-C Port Controller Secrets

#83

Post by masklinn » Wed, Dec 30, 2020, 4:31 PM UTC

dylanrw wrote: post #80

bluejekyll wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, Apple seems to be very confused in this regard. They’ve committed to USB-C for all of their computers, but then are continuing to push lightning for all the other portable devices. It’s hard not to be annoyed at them about this. Enough to not buy Apple again? No, not yet, but I’d be lying if it’s not a reason why I’ve delayed purchasing a new device. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and makes me grumpy. So I’l…

All these complex theories/complaints about lightning. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, one good reason for not shifting to USB-C is to keep IP ratings high. Most USB-C sockets I can find are waterproof only with a matching cable plugged in.

> All these complex theories/complaints about lightning. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, one good reason for not shifting to USB-C is to keep IP ratings high.

Also accessories. Sure there's a sunk costs fallacy component to it, but still: it wasn't that long ago that apple users needed to replace all their ADC accessories with lightning ones.

Re: ACE: Apple Type-C Port Controller Secrets

#84

Post by buildbot » Wed, Dec 30, 2020, 4:31 PM UTC

sunpazed wrote: post #31

sunpazed wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Obligatory “can it run DOOM?”

Looks like this dev has patched the HW and has shell access https://twitter.com/nyan_satan/status/1322329047779713024?s=...

That’s delightful!

Anyone want to buy a few and make the first cluster of HDMI adapters?

Re: ACE: Apple Type-C Port Controller Secrets

#85

Post by 0xTJ » Wed, Dec 30, 2020, 4:53 PM UTC

Roritharr wrote: post #2

Once again i'm amazed what ALSO has a processor in it. I'm wondering if at some point I'll just see it as normal that nearly every device, no matter how static it may seem, has more processing power than my first computer.

You're basically surrounded by 8051 processors at all times. Tiny controllers, many probably OTP or mask-ROM, doing all sorts of basic management things.

Re: ACE: Apple Type-C Port Controller Secrets

#86

Post by ogre_codes » Wed, Dec 30, 2020, 5:10 PM UTC

One thing this article reminded me of is just how damned prevalent simple ARM based CPUs are in the world. Piles and piles of ARM chips running Linux, or in Apple's case some kind of Darwin derived OS. It doesn't talk about processing power, but these tiny embedded CPUs are far more powerful than a Commodore 64 or most early CP/M or DOS based systems which many small businesses relied on.

Just crazy to think about.

Re: ACE: Apple Type-C Port Controller Secrets

#87

Post by sweetlucipher » Wed, Dec 30, 2020, 5:41 PM UTC

My brand new M1 Mackbook Pro has only one working port. I didn't notice it until I tried to save something to a USB drive. Neither charging nor USB works on that port. Talking to Apple tomorrow. Hopefully still under warranty.

Re: ACE: Apple Type-C Port Controller Secrets

#88

Post by babypuncher » Wed, Dec 30, 2020, 5:48 PM UTC

bluejekyll wrote: post #41

bluefirex wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I forgot to take my MacBook Pro's charger with me but could still charge it using my iPad's charger (USB-A to USB-C, mind you) - albeit very slowly. Still better than nothing, though. If only iPhones had USB-C…

Yes, Apple seems to be very confused in this regard. They’ve committed to USB-C for all of their computers, but then are continuing to push lightning for all the other portable devices. It’s hard not to be annoyed at them about this. Enough to not buy Apple again? No, not yet, but I’d be lying if it’s not a reason why I’ve delayed purchasing a new device. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and makes me grumpy. So I’l…

I think it is because they had already built out a lightning ecosystem years before USB-C came and mostly solved the same problem lightning did.

This left Apple in a weird spot. They could keep the iPhone on Lightning and users could continue using the same cables and peripherals they have been since 2012. Or, they could switch. This would require many users to buy new accessories, but they could be generics that work with any phone.

The switch from Lightning to USB-C is not as advantageous as the switch from the old 30-pin connector to Lightning was. To users already invested in the Apple/Lightning ecosystem, a switch to USB-C would not bring much benefit.

Re: ACE: Apple Type-C Port Controller Secrets

#89

Post by bluejekyll » Wed, Dec 30, 2020, 5:49 PM UTC

dylanrw wrote: post #80

bluejekyll wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, Apple seems to be very confused in this regard. They’ve committed to USB-C for all of their computers, but then are continuing to push lightning for all the other portable devices. It’s hard not to be annoyed at them about this. Enough to not buy Apple again? No, not yet, but I’d be lying if it’s not a reason why I’ve delayed purchasing a new device. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and makes me grumpy. So I’l…

All these complex theories/complaints about lightning. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, one good reason for not shifting to USB-C is to keep IP ratings high. Most USB-C sockets I can find are waterproof only with a matching cable plugged in.

Before USB-C I would have agreed about giving them the benefit of doubt the doubt. But as a sibling comment pointed out, they have an iPad model that is USB-C, my hope is that means the entire line of products will switch over.

I’m actually guessing that they have a long tail of hardware designs that all need to be changed, and that process takes a while. Even their new headphones are lightning based, though they were under development for 4 years... that’s as far as I’ll give them.

Re: ACE: Apple Type-C Port Controller Secrets

#90

Post by bluejekyll » Wed, Dec 30, 2020, 5:51 PM UTC

bochoh wrote: post #60

bluefirex wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

USB-C is now a requirement for me to upgrade my iPhone. I'm holding onto my XS until they switch to that.

I think we’re more likely to see a port-less (read MagSafe only) iPhone sooner than a USB-C version. I will say the iPad Pro with USB-C was a revelation for usability though. Not to mention companies like Flir being able to create one product line.

I don’t know about that. The physical port is still useful for hard resets and management of a “bricked” device (granted I’ve only needed that on an older device, and never on the model I currently have).