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EU sends Apple stark warning over USB-C charging on new iPhones

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Re: EU sends Apple stark warning over USB-C charging on new iPhones

#291

Post by crote »

kweingar wrote: post #24
have_faith wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you elaborate?

To be clear, I am pro USB-C, but I do get the arguments from the other side. If I have a lightning cable and a device with a lightning port, I can plug it in and not really think much about it. If I have a device with a USB-C port and a USB-C cable, I have no idea whether I can charge at full speed or even charge at all. As an example, I plug my Xbox controller into my PC via USB-C. It keeps it fully charged. Recentl…

In almost every instance of stuff like that it is caused by the manufacturer not reading the specifications and implementing it improperly. Usually the cause is them trying to save literally $0.001 by leaving out a component they think is "optional".

The specification is very clear with regards to chargers: a charger with more watts is always better than one with fewer watts. For any pair of chargers, if charger A provides X watt and charger B provides Y watt, if Y > X every device which can be charged by A can also be charged by B. This means a laptop charger will always also charge your smartphone - although the opposite might not be true due to the laptop having a minimum power requirement.

Re: EU sends Apple stark warning over USB-C charging on new iPhones

#292

Post by viraptor »

throwaway50606 wrote: post #148
mrtksn wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What happens when there is a better USB-C plug EU laws are not like physics laws, you can change them. That's why so many people are employed in policy and law making. So if it happens that in the land of cable freedoms they come up with something much better, it would be adopted. At first, those electronics which can accommodate more than 1 type of charging plug will start getting this new plug alongside with USB-…

How do you know how to change the laws if nobody is allowed to try different things (thus innovate)? USB-C didn't come from nowhere, and it wasn't a given that it's better than MicroUSB - first the market tested it, then it became a standard. EU laws have worldwide effects, there's no land of cable freedom anymore.

Apart from all the existing answers - usb-c did not come to the phones first either. It was available and tested in many other places first. And it makes sense, because if we ever need over 40Gbps of data, or over 200W power, it's extremely unlikely we'll need it for the phones.

Re: EU sends Apple stark warning over USB-C charging on new iPhones

#293

Post by [deleted] »

taf2 wrote: post #118

What happens when there is a better USB-C plug - isn't there a concern that locking into the current standard means in 50 years the EU is still stuck. I imagine we're in uncharted territory given in less then my lifetime USB was invented and has gone through at least 14 iterations e.g. it's been changing very fast. Unfortunately I fear even asking this question probably angers some, but I think it's an interesting qu…

[deleted]

Re: EU sends Apple stark warning over USB-C charging on new iPhones

#295

Post by nirvdrum »

christophilus wrote: post #228
crote wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The law explicitly states that it has to be reviewed every couple of years to determine whether USB-C it is still the best choice, or there has been sufficient technological progress to warrant a switch to a newer standard. The fear for a "lock-in" is completely unfounded, as the EU previously quasi-mandated Micro USB and switching to USB-C was no issue whatsoever. Besides, nothing is stopping manufacturers from incl…

But if the whole world adopted this kind of regulatory stance, there would be much less incentive to invent that better cable because you now have huge regulatory bodies that may block its adoption and thus mean most of that work was money and time wasted. This kind of thing may tilt the risk / reward of research towards the riskier end of the spectrum. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing— just that it’s not without cons…

I may be recalling it incorrectly, but wasn't the EU's stance on chargers the reason phones stopped shipping with proprietary chargers and started using USB? Accessories were big money for phone manufacturers so I don't think they would have done it without regulatory intervention. I think the adoption of Micro USB (and now USB C) was a huge improvement for consumers and the environment.

Re: EU sends Apple stark warning over USB-C charging on new iPhones

#296

Post by ellisv »

rmm wrote: post #97

I just realised I rarely plug a cable into my phone at all these days. Genuinely I think the last time I did was in a hire car that only had cable CarPlay. At my desk I got a wireless charger as well as my bed side. Data is over the cloud now etc Serious question how long until they drop the port full stop? Like what if they achieve serious wireless charging speeds And actually does anyone know if that’s allowed with…

Wireless data transfer isn’t tenable for people taking hi-res photos or videos with their phones. According to Apple a one-minute 10-bit ProRes video is approximately 1.7GB in 1080p and approximately 6GB in 4K.

If Apple ever revives AirPower then I could see them removing the charging port on lower tier models but Pros would definitely need it.

Re: EU sends Apple stark warning over USB-C charging on new iPhones

#297

Post by crote »

throwaway2990 wrote: post #94
kweingar wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be clear, I am pro USB-C, but I do get the arguments from the other side. If I have a lightning cable and a device with a lightning port, I can plug it in and not really think much about it. If I have a device with a USB-C port and a USB-C cable, I have no idea whether I can charge at full speed or even charge at all. As an example, I plug my Xbox controller into my PC via USB-C. It keeps it fully charged. Recentl…

USB-C is so frustrating. I have different cables to charge headphones, keyboard, switch, iPad. Cos they don’t “just work”. And I’ve had more lightening cables break in the last 2 years than I have had lightening cables in the last 7 years.

For low-speed (USB 2.0) devices, there are exactly three cables. One supports up to 60W, one supports up to 100W, and one supports up to 100W.

Considering all the devices you listed need less than 60W, they should charge with all cables. If they do not, the manufacturer gave you a broken cable which does not follow the USB-C specification. Blame the manufacturer, not USB-C.

Re: EU sends Apple stark warning over USB-C charging on new iPhones

#299

Post by mmmmmbop »

OptionX wrote: post #294

Why does Apple even care? They don't add chargers with their phones anyway. And overcharging for a regular usb-c charger with a Apple logo on it seems to be quite in their wheelhouse.

Public stance: To protect their users from the confusing variety of USB-C cables.

Internal stance: Huge margins on overpriced USB-C cables that customers must buy to get the fast charging speeds.

Re: EU sends Apple stark warning over USB-C charging on new iPhones

#300

Post by nehal3m »

meindnoch wrote: post #192
nehal3m wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I usually charge phones wirelessly, and since I built the charger into my desk it's easy to pick up the phone, do what I want to do, and put it back down again. There's no friction at all, so unless you want extended use there's no issue. I rarely even think about charging it anymore.

Ok. So you can't use the phone while charging. Cool!

I'm saying that requirement is no longer relevant because of a shift in how I use the device. It still does have a wired charging port though. Why not both?
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