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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

#351

Post by Dylan16807 »

neither_color wrote: post #320
woah wrote: post #231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There’s an oft-repeated complaint that they are too versatile

All these are existing variations of cables with a USB-C tip: Quest link cable, thunderbolt cable, charge only, data only no video, video but not 120hz, etc. It's not like you'll have fewer cables to manage if one device changes its port to USB - C. The biggest change will be in people's backpacks and suitcase. Now they'll have one cable instead of two(or two instead of three if they carry an apple watch). All your o…

If you mean cables that have a USB-C tip at one end, that's true, but I could cite thousands of distinct cables that have a USB-A tip at one end.

Also "charge only" cables violate the spec, and thunderbolt-only cables violate the spec.

When the cable is USB-C at both ends, there are different speeds and that's pretty much the only thing you need to care about. Occasionally you need to check whether it's a 60 watt cable or something higher, but not often.

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

#352

Post by hot_gril »

scarface74 wrote: post #349
hot_gril wrote: post #343

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you can find a $5 one that's truly MFi-licensed and not a counterfeit, that's a new thing. They used to always be $15 minimum. Not talking about luxury ones.

And why do I care about a “license”?

You care when it stops working one day because Apple changed something (maybe intentionally). Out of a combination of spite and cheapness, I've only ever bought unlicensed cables for several years, and this is the price I've paid over time.

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

#353

Post by nanidin »

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 a FLIR camera that plugs into the lightning port on my iPhone. I'm not sure if it will even be supported with an adaptor when/if I get a USB-C iPhone.

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

#354

Post by Reason077 »

Dylan16807 wrote: post #340
dwaite wrote: post #306

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The good news is that all functional USB-C cables will generally charge at 30W. They might not be able to go above 30W, they might only have USB 2.0 speeds. The USB-IF has only just now come up with IMHO their first passable attempt at labelling. However, for a couch or car charger for a phone, just about any cable that is wired correctly should do everything you want. The problems come with alt modes and fast chargi…

All functional USB-C cables will charge at 60W.

Yes. The minimum capability of any USB-C cable is 3A 20V charging (60W), and USB 2.0 480 Mbps data.

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

#355

Post by CharlesW »

cmeacham98 wrote: post #301
CharlesW wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And all because Apple refused to play ball and just adopt USB-C like the rest of the industry. History lesson: Apple worked with the USB-IF to create USB-C, to make sure it met their needs for both USB and Thunderbolt. They were the first to put USB-C on a laptop, the 12" MacBook in the spring of 2015 — an amazing feat considering that the spec was just finalized in the fall of 2014. They were also the first compan…

While you're giving this history lesson, when was Lightning introduced, and was it more than 10 years ago?

September 12, 2012.

https://www.engadget.com/2012-09-12-apple-details-new-dock-c...

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

#356

Post by CharlesW »

Hamuko wrote: post #314
CharlesW wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And all because Apple refused to play ball and just adopt USB-C like the rest of the industry. History lesson: Apple worked with the USB-IF to create USB-C, to make sure it met their needs for both USB and Thunderbolt. They were the first to put USB-C on a laptop, the 12" MacBook in the spring of 2015 — an amazing feat considering that the spec was just finalized in the fall of 2014. They were also the first compan…

> So they pressured the EU to mandate the change to a standard that Apple helped pioneer so that Apple's environmentally-friendly record would remain unblemished. Remember when they made us trade our 30-pin cables to Lightning cables? Remember when they made us trade our headphones with 3.5mm jacks to wireless ones or get a dongle? Remember when they made us trade our Lightning cables to USB-C cables? Remember when t…

That's a pretty good list, but you're forgetting SCSI cables (and terminators), AppleTalk cables, and ADB cables. What else?

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

#357

Post by [deleted] »

lrvick wrote: post #324
93po wrote: post #242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lighting can be safer and more durable, but it's still a dumb choice when USB C can deliver a ton more power and serve more purposes (like connecting to a monitor, daisy chaining, and powering laptops).

Lightning could actually been the physical connector for all the usual USB type C power delivery framework features. If Apple did not patent it. Now it is left behind in features and adoption. Lightning is doomed to history along with other good patented ideas like MiniDisks and Magsafe.

[deleted]

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

#358

Post by adam_arthur »

hot_gril wrote: post #338
adam_arthur wrote: post #304

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not true at all. If USB-C hits hard limitations, vendors will come together to create a new spec. The EU law has provisions to reassess the standard every few years. There are already many specs such as web standards that are critical to society and collaborated on by many vendors.

It took the industry years to get their act together and leave micro-USB behind, and that was without the replacement being illegal. Maybe Lightning even gave them a reason to look for something better. With other standards, there's at least competition, and adopting a better one can be a selling point.

If a better standard is needed, one will be created

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

#359

Post by adam_arthur »

scarface74 wrote: post #344
adam_arthur wrote: post #296

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The mountains of e-waste created by keeping around a zombie protocol far exceeds a transition to a widely used and accepted standard. The majority of people with iPhone likely already have USB-C cables anyway, so requires no net new purchase

How many of those users have USB C cables capable of video over USB, USB3 speeds etc? If the EU were going to “mandate” something, don’t be half assed about it.

I dunno, but lightning doesn’t support that anyway, so who cares?

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

#360

Post by eropple »

evilduck wrote: post #307
eropple wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does MagSafe charging cause a Macbook Pro to heat up in the same way that USB-C charging on the left side of the device does? When I saw that on my new M1 Max, I assumed so, so I never used it. (Also because I had USB-C charging for everything else...except my iPhone.)

Wasn't that just an issue with the final 16" Intel MBP? I don't think any M1/M2 Macs have had that problem.

If it is, then I've just had rotten luck, because every time I notice "hmm, that's toasty" it's plugged in on the left side. Absolutely no science done, to be fair.
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