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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

#471

Post by hot_gril »

adam_arthur wrote: post #358
hot_gril wrote: post #338

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

If a better standard is needed by every phonemaker and agreed upon, and they cooperate in developing it, and the EU (which btw is not where any of these phonemakers are HQ'd) agrees with it.

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

#472

Post by hot_gril »

bobbylarrybobby wrote: post #391
brundolf wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 am a tech person with an older MacBook Pro and a newer iPhone, and AirPods. I own zero USB C cables and am not really looking forward to the switch.

I bought a 2015 MBP intentionally in the year 2016.

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

#473

Post by hot_gril »

tokamak-teapot wrote: post #468
smabie wrote: post #418

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're gonna use your iPhone and iPad for another 15 years? I find that highly implausible

I have a ten year old iPad that’s still in use, and an eight year old iPhone. I don’t see why they would stop being useful any time soon.

Hardest line is when the cell carrier drops support. I held onto my iPhone 5 until the very day it could no longer work as a phone, and that was also far after it stopped receiving security updates.

Or what happens is they stop running the latest OS, then newer apps you might need stop supporting old OSes. Old versions of apps might even stop working with whatever servers. That or the latest runnable OS doesn't work with whatever 2FA bs you need to download free apps from the App Store, as was the case with the iPad 2 last I tried.

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

#474

Post by hot_gril »

eropple wrote: post #217
gnicholas wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But even those non-tech people should have some USB-C cables lying around at this point I do have a couple of these, from my old MBP and my iPad Pro. What I don't have many of are USB-C bricks. I have tons of USB-A bricks that work with all of my micro USB devices (wireless keyboard, Beats, bike lights, etc.) and my Lightning devices (iPhone, several iPads, several AirPods). If all of these devices move over to USB…

> there's no gain from my perspective Maybe this'll broaden that perspective a little: Apple devices since the iPhone 8 support USB-PD with C-to-Lightning cables now, and it's much faster. Decent USB-C chargers are a noticeable quality-of-life improvement.

I've never used one. In fact, my phone charges off a keyboard USB port so it's 0.5A and stresses the battery less. Of course not as much of an issue now that there's optimized charging.

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

#475

Post by musicale »

danpalmer wrote: post #19

It's sad that it took legislation to make this happen, but I can see why. I worked in a pseudo-Apple-store during the height of the 30-pin dock connector and I sold so many cases, speaker docks, charging cables, and all sorts of weird accessories that were built for the 30-pin connector. Then Apple switched to Lightning. It was better in every. single. way. And yet people got burnt. There was so much hardware that wa…

> 30-pin compatible speaker docks and other accessories were very widely available, but there are far fewer devices made for Lightning

Apple used Firewire in the original iPod, then used the 30-pin connector for ~10 years, following it with Lightning as the "connector for the next decade." Seems to have been fairly accurate.

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

#476

Post by bonestamp2 »

gnicholas wrote: post #438
bonestamp2 wrote: post #433

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> competitive/cost benefits would they have gained by switching? It would make the rest of their customers happy -- the ones that do want one standard cable. I mean, it's their only computing device that they haven't switched to USB-C yet.

My family is all Apple, and we have precisely one device that charges USB-C to USB-C: an iPad Pro. Everything else is Lightning (4 iPhones, 3 AirPods, 3 iPads), MagSafe (2 MBA/Ps), or micro USB (Beats, wireless keyboard, bike lights). I'm not dreading the transition, but I'm definitely not looking forward to it. If I were 20 years old and just starting to accumulate devices/chargers, I'd probably be more in favor of…

Ya, for sure. We've got a very similar device lineup to yours. Apple got a lot of backlash last time and I'm sure there will be a lot of upset people this time too. But, there's also a group of people looking forward to the change.

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

#477

Post by ksec »

danpalmer wrote: post #19

It's sad that it took legislation to make this happen, but I can see why. I worked in a pseudo-Apple-store during the height of the 30-pin dock connector and I sold so many cases, speaker docks, charging cables, and all sorts of weird accessories that were built for the 30-pin connector. Then Apple switched to Lightning. It was better in every. single. way. And yet people got burnt. There was so much hardware that wa…

>given Apple's core role in defining the USB-C spec

This is another one of John Gruber made up lies that continue to this day.

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

#478

Post by ksec »

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.…

>But even those non-tech people should have some USB-C cables lying around at this point

This has got to be one of the best tech people response to a non-tech people question ever.

Most non-tech people living in Apple's ( or more precisely iPhone ) ecosystem simply dont have any USB-C cables lying around.

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

#479

Post by adam_arthur »

hot_gril wrote: post #471
adam_arthur wrote: post #358

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If a better standard is needed, one will be created

If a better standard is needed by every phonemaker and agreed upon, and they cooperate in developing it, and the EU (which btw is not where any of these phonemakers are HQ'd) agrees with it.

Yes, just like browser vendors agree on standard changes

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

#480

Post by realityking »

gnicholas wrote: post #235
yardie wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I stayed in a hotel recently with one of those clock radios with the 30-pin connector on top. It would have been nice to have it use the larger speakers for background music and the alarm. But with over 200 rooms they probably weren't in a rush to replace all those units with Lightning and now USB-C.

I have yet to find a hotel that has upgraded their lamp-mounted or bedside USB ports. This is super annoying because I typically travel with a MagSafe charger for my MBA and a USB-C to Lightning cable to charge my iPhone. I would plug in my phone next to the bed if I could, but typically end up just leaving it with my computer to charge there. Has anyone seen a USB-C port in a hotel? I've seen that some car manufactu…

I‘ve seen a few, not many. I think the Mariott Marquis in New York had them and I just came back from the Hilton La Defense in Paris that had them as well, at least in the recently renovated room we stayed in.

It‘s like cars and airplanes. The change is happening it will take a long time for the existing investment to age out.

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