Being recently in the market for car tires I say that some standardisation benefits the consumer and reduces waste. There are so many sizes of tires that you have limited choice on purchase and resell. Unfortunately there is no incentive for companies to standardize because they loose revenue. Apple can make a custom port and sell an overpriced cable and adapter for it. Maybe it's slightly better but is it that much…
EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024
501–510 of 1001 posts
Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024
#502Earlier quoted context omitted.
There were no mandates to adopt micro-usb in the EU. As a sidetone it's astonishing how quickly a lie easily disprovable by publicly accessible information, in this case the EU's own website, can be spread around by people that otherwise seem like credible HN members.
Am I missing something here? https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.engadget.com/amp/2010-12-29...
Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024
#503Earlier quoted context omitted.
USB-C has the springs in the plug while the receptacle is only fixed contacts. Lightning on the other hand has the springs inside the receptacle. This means that for USB-C you replace the cable when the springs wear out, but for Lightning you need to replace the port. Cleaning lint out of a USB-C receptacle with a toothpick is safe, but sticking anything into a Lightning port could damage the springs.
On the flipside, this means the thin logic board that connects to the pins is in the host device, not in the cable. Which means if you break it off, you need to replace the whole port, which might be difficult or expensive; instead of the (relatively) cheap cable. I _love_ USB-C as a concept, but this alone makes, in my opinion, Lightning the superior physical connector. And yes, I have had to replace / throw away en…
Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024
#504Earlier quoted context omitted.
> What is the procedure/convention for superseding this directive when something supersedes USB-C? I believe the EU are saying they'll keep up with new standards as they come in. The problem I see is, how can a new standard come in if nobody is allowed to use it. Its a chicken & egg problem, the EU will allow new standards as they're used, but nobody is allowed to use new standards until the EU allows it. Thats aside…
The connector can still remain the same while the internal changes. USB-C is just the connector head. Look at USB4 that still uses the USB-C head. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB4 It's just like we have new modern electronics, but they are all able to plug into the same wall sockets. I don't have to remodel my home.
Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024
#505Earlier quoted context omitted.
Apple is part of the USB-IF. They also have pushed USB standards to consumers since the iMac. Hell, Apple participates of every single industrial forum they can benefit from. Apple has moved on to USB-C for almost every other product they have. They know Lightning is old and insufficient, even for their iPad Air. The only reason why Apple keeps Lightning around is for phones and some portable accessories, and the rev…
This is not the reason. The reason is, the last time they changed ports (from 30pin to lightning) it created huge blowback from consumers who had lots of 30pin accessories that were no longer compatible, and even though lightning is FAR better people don’t like switching. USB-C is not much different than lightning for charging / connecting a phone, so the blowback from consumers will be huge when all their accessorie…
Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024
#506Earlier quoted context omitted.
Government mandates on how you can charge your phone won't stifle innovation?
I don't know, did government mandating electricity plugs standards stifle innovation?
Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024
#507Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024
#508And “empower consumers to make more sustainable choices“. typical gov speak. If I was Apple I’d build in a lightning to usb-c adapter to the bottom and add a chin to the phone that resembled the older Pixels and engrave on it EU mandated.
Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024
#509Earlier quoted context omitted.
Saying there was no mandate is only technically true. The EU gave an ultimatum to phone companies to make a compatible charger "or else", which led to a "Memorandum of Understanding" [1] deciding on Micro-USB. Apple didn't follow that Memorandum, the EU got pissed, so now we reached the "or else" part (it took quite some time considering the Memorandum was more than 10 years ago). [1] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/…
> Apple didn't follow that Memorandum, the EU got pissed Just to add a step: Samsung got pissed, and told the EU either regulate, or we do our own thing too like Apple.
Replying to sibling: that 30-pin connector predates the Memorandum. It's exactly such chargers that the EU wanted to regulate at the time. Every company had their own incompatible charger.
Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024
#510Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is the USB2 speed a limitation of the Lightning connector, or is it that Apple just doesn't care to improve this? Because if it's the latter, as you say, there's no guarantee we'll see improved speeds because of the port change.
The Lightning connector has 8 pins: 2 for power, 2 for ID/control, and 4 for 2 differential lanes of anything. Those 2 differential lines are used for all data transfer, and, IIRC, are bidirectional. So, in theory, the Lightning connector could carry USB 3.0's differential RX/TX lanes no problem. My guess as to why Apple hasn't implemented that is a lack of demand. Syncing/backup is expected to be handled on the devi…
Plus iCloud is stubbornly not E2EE.