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Apple says iPhones will switch to USB-C chargers to comply with new EU law

forbes.com

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Re: Apple says iPhones will switch to USB-C chargers to comply with new EU law

#151

Post by BackBlast »

djvdq wrote: post #127
lrvick wrote: post #96

As someone that deeply detests Apple and would never give them money, I will admit the lightning connector is superior in durability, inspectability, and safety than USB type C in virtually every way. The real crime here is that Apple insisted on patenting the design and keeping it for only themselves, forcing the rest of the industry to adopt an inferior connector and ultimately force it on them too. Classic Apple.

I was thinking the same about both connectors. And then I bought an iPhone. I never broke a USB-C connector nor socket in few years of heavy usage on few devices, but I needed to buy new lightning cable because the pins have worn out after less than a year of just connecting the cable to iphone.

I wore out the USB-C connector on my android phone in about a year and a half of daily charging, so probably lasted less than 500 cycles. I had to resort to wireless charging to keep the phone functioning. This is my first long-lifed usb-c connector and so far it doesn't impress for durability.

My wife has used apple for years, while she does need new cables from time to time the phone side has never had an issue.

Re: Apple says iPhones will switch to USB-C chargers to comply with new EU law

#152

Post by illuminerdy »

Havoc wrote: post #113

> Apple’s engineers should be left to come up with a solution That’s precisely what we’re trying to avoid. Every company coming up with their own version that is definitely totally superior to the other companies’ and thus incompatible

And who says it needs to be compatible? Companies design what they feel are the best/better components for their products. If consumers want to have a "standard" connector that works with multiple devices, they have that with the many Android OEMs that choose to use USB.

But I don't see why the government should be forcing companies to use a standard when it has no clear connection to safety of the product.

Re: Apple says iPhones will switch to USB-C chargers to comply with new EU law

#153

Post by burbankio »

dervjd wrote: post #125
musictubes wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The remote for the new AppleTV is also USB C.

I have the latest Apple TV 4K, and it still uses the Lightning connector to charge the remote.

The 3rd-gen Apple TV 4K introduced on the 18th switched the charging port on the remote from Lightning to USB-C.

Re: Apple says iPhones will switch to USB-C chargers to comply with new EU law

#154

Post by 8note »

renewiltord wrote: post #53
kalleboo wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And all because Apple refused to play ball and just adopt USB-C like the rest of the industry. They're too used to US regulators that just roll over and don't follow through with their threats. For over a decade the EU has tried to get the industry to adopt a common standard without mandating it in law (we got microUSB on all phones instead of the previous proprietary ports thanks to the 2009 voluntary EU memorandum…

Thank fuck they didn't because otherwise we would have ended up with the shitty mini USB crap. Apple has been the one company making progress on stuff: - no floppy - no optical - no shitty as mini or micro USB - no Flash Each time people whined about the fact that they "didn't use what everyone else does" and each time they were right.

No flash was and continues to be a monopoly play, ensuring to competition to the app store

Re: Apple says iPhones will switch to USB-C chargers to comply with new EU law

#155

Post by AlexandrB »

jefftk wrote: post #119
garblegarble wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Astonishingly, yes. There was a big thing a while back with a Googler reviewing USB-C products and highlighting if they were dangerous: https://www.computerworld.com/article/3002159/usb-c-benson-l...

It's not astonishing that not following the spec can lead to things getting fried, though? Splice a mains jack onto a USB cable and you'll see some smoke too ;) But I agree that the level of incorrect implementation was shockingly high initially. Luckily it's much better now!

I still stay well clear of MOOZOOM-style alphabet soup cables on Amazon and buy Anker for this reason.

Re: Apple says iPhones will switch to USB-C chargers to comply with new EU law

#156

Post by [deleted] »

scarface74 wrote: post #108
falcolas wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sorry, but I don't see how we can lay the blame for corporations cutting corners on completely unrelated legislation. I get that there can be unintended consequences with passed legislation, but these seem too disconnected to be relevant. As in, there have been substandard USB-C cables since USB-C first came out. The existence of those cables can't be laid at the feet of requiring Apple to use USB-C on the one re…

> I'm sorry, but I don't see how we can lay the blame for corporations cutting corners on completely unrelated legislation. You mean the same legislation that can enforce USB C can’t enforce a minimum standard for USB C: - must support USB 3 speeds - must support video over USB and a certain minimum standard (this is a standard) - etc?

[deleted]

Re: Apple says iPhones will switch to USB-C chargers to comply with new EU law

#157

Post by pshc »

frosted-flakes wrote: post #58
collegeburner wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

no you're not. sturdier, clicks in better and doesn't wear down the same way. and im not even a apple fan/user.

You've never had a bad connection with Lightning? Every Lightning cable I've ever had has two pins that have become blackened due to frequent arcing. And the "click" is dependent on the quality of the cable. USB-C cables from Apple click in exactly the same as their Lightning cables, for example.

I’ve had corroded pins on a couple Lightning cables, always happens after the phone was in a humid environment like a steamy bathroom after a shower. Now I resort to wireless charging if there’s any hint of moisture on the phone and that has kept my connectors fresh.

Re: Apple says iPhones will switch to USB-C chargers to comply with new EU law

#158

Post by dagmx »

brundolf wrote: post #107
dagmx wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Something I found interesting when discussing this with my wife.. All my friends are tech heads and champing at the bit to have usb-c in their iPhones. But when she asked me why people were mad about the switch to usb-c it took me by surprise. Then she showed me a lot of online responses from non technical people who see the change of port as annoying and wasteful because now all their stuff won’t work without adapte…

But even those non-tech people should have some USB-C cables lying around at this point Android phones have used USB-C cables for many years. The Nintendo switch and PS5 controllers use USB-C cables. Chromebooks use USB-C cables. The alarm clock I just bought uses a USB-C cable. My keyboard uses a USB-C cable. Every MacBook made in the last five years (and most iPads sold in the last couple years) uses a USB-C cable.…

If they do have a usb-c cable they likely don’t necessarily think of it as one. It’s just generic charging cable that works with this device that they probably leave plugged in all the time.

But when you tell them that the thing they plug in and out every day is changing cables that ruffles feathers.

Re: Apple says iPhones will switch to USB-C chargers to comply with new EU law

#159

Post by tokamak-teapot »

brundolf wrote: post #107
dagmx wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Something I found interesting when discussing this with my wife.. All my friends are tech heads and champing at the bit to have usb-c in their iPhones. But when she asked me why people were mad about the switch to usb-c it took me by surprise. Then she showed me a lot of online responses from non technical people who see the change of port as annoying and wasteful because now all their stuff won’t work without adapte…

But even those non-tech people should have some USB-C cables lying around at this point Android phones have used USB-C cables for many years. The Nintendo switch and PS5 controllers use USB-C cables. Chromebooks use USB-C cables. The alarm clock I just bought uses a USB-C cable. My keyboard uses a USB-C cable. Every MacBook made in the last five years (and most iPads sold in the last couple years) uses a USB-C cable.…

I have about twelve Lightning cables (2 in car, 4 permanently installed at convenient locations, a few in my work bag, an couple in another bag and some currently missing) and one USB-C cable, which I use for charging my laptop.

At some point soon, perhaps when I get a new iPhone, I am going to have to start buying more USB-C cables.

I will then spend years looking at the end of cables to see what the connector looks like. Just like USB-A and B where I had to make sure they were the right way up, which takes at least three attempts.

At some point, my iPad and iPhone - and my family’s iPads and iPhones - will all be dead, and replaced with USB-C versions.

We are quite good at hanging onto devices until they can no longer have new safe batteries (installed by Apple) or have no real use, so this could be around ten to fifteen years.

This drive by the EU seems to mainly talk about power adapters, and how it’s a waste to have separate ones, but all the power adapters I use for phone and iPad have USB-A sockets.

With USB-C on both ends of cables, I expect I’ll have to buy some new power adapters soon. I will then have to have two adapters everywhere (one for my USB-A to Lightning cables), or buy lots of USB-C to Lightning cables for the transition period. To go with the USB-C cables for post transition period.

I’m not at all inconvenienced by Lightning and not at all desperate to have USB-C, and USB-C will be replaced by USB-D in a few years, probably many years before the Lightning devices have given up, to USB-C, so I will probably carry several Lightning to USB-A, several Lightning to USB-C, several Lightning to USB-D, several USB-C to USB-C, several USB-C to USB-D and several USB-D to USB-D.

* not counting the Switch. I’m not gambling with that - it gets its original PSU only.

Re: Apple says iPhones will switch to USB-C chargers to comply with new EU law

#160

Post by somerandomqaguy »

rootusrootus wrote: post #51
brundolf wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Two key differences vs last time: 1. As you mentioned, most accessories have moved to wireless. I still (usually) use a physical cable for charging, and I guess I have a 3.5mm dongle, but I think those are the only two things I've plugged into my iPhone in years. Docks with a physical port, in particular, were super popular 10+ years ago and don't really exist anymore. People won't be throwing away speakers. 2. They…

> I'm more cynical in my interpretation of Apple's motives: I think they just wanted those licensing dollars They've switched every other non-iPhone device to USB-C. The more plausible interpretation would be that they don't want to piss off a core constituency of customers who've built up 10 years of Lightning cables. The number of people who care about standardizing on USB-C are definitely less than the vocal folks…

Maybe? The USB specifications calls for USB Micro-B to have the same 10,000 connect/disconnect cycles as USB-C:

-----------------------------------

Table 3-1 USB Electrical, Mechanical and Environmental Compliance Standards

Performance Requirement

1500 cycles

5000 cycles for Mini “B”

10,000 cycles for Micro series

10,000 cycles for ruggedized Standard “A”

Cycle rate of 500 cycles per hour if done automatically and 200 if manual cycle

-----------------------------------

https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/CabConn20.pdf

From what I'm guessing, a lot of the problems can stem from either parts that don't meet the spec because it saves some money, or sloppy QC on the solder joints. Unless I'm missing something, USB-C doesn't inherently solve problems of manufacturers picking out of specification parts or bad QC.

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