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EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

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Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

#981

Post by funklute »

s1artibartfast wrote: post #752
funklute wrote: post #651

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> A political organization like EU has no say in this. This is the short-sighted view. The unguided free market very often makes "decisions" that are detrimental to society as a whole, and it is absolutely necessary for political organisations to correct for this.

Society and legislators should only forbid harmful action. Not doing something helpful is very different than doing something hurtful. Compelling helpful action leads to all kinds of absurd conclusions. For example, that we should we compel doctors to work more hours because anytime they spend at home is to the detriment of their patients.

> Compelling helpful action leads to all kinds of absurd conclusions.

No it doesn't. Besides, "not doing something helpful" vs "doing something hurtful" is often simply a matter of perspective.

> For example, that we should we compel doctors to work more hours because anytime they spend at home is to the detriment of their patients.

To use your own language, this example is completely absurd. Here is your logic applied to forbidding harmful actions: "Setting speed limits on roads leads to all kinds of absurd conclusions, for example that we should forbid people to walk too fast in their homes."

Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

#982

Post by jdeibele »

dmitriid wrote: post #948
arcticbull wrote: post #708

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple hasn't changed the 'fast-changing' lightning connector since 2012, and USB-A lasted from 1996 to, well, present. USB-C came out in 2014 and is likely going to outlive us both. Connectors simply don't change that fast, and I'm not sure why people think they do. I think even the EU can regulate on that kind of schedule.

> USB-A lasted from 1996 to, well, present. USB-C came out in 2014 and is likely going to outlive us both. Connectors simply don't change that fast How convenient of you to forget Mini-USB and Micro-USB and regular USB-B

One end of the cable changed but I think the point was that the other end, the part that was built into your laptop, didn't.

I still have a stash of USB-B, mini-USB, and micro-USB cables with the USB-A because I've got a printer, a camera, and devices (Kindle, older battery) that use those ports. I have a USB-C -> USB-A hub. In 5-10 years from now, I might have gone all USB-C.

Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

#983

Post by birksherty »

blue_light_man wrote: post #607
TheYumasi wrote: post #555

As an EU citizen, I am really happy with this decision. I am an iPhone user, but having an iPhone is not ubiquitous here, almost all of my friends/special other, use an Android phone with USB-C. Most of their laptops, Mac or not, use or allow USB-C for charging. This as been the case for a few years now, yet, if I go somewhere for more than a full day and forget my lighting cable, my phone will become a useless paper…

This is such a short sighted view. What just happened is, EU, a political organization enforcing the use of a technology on a company which operates on free market. It's Apples best interest to make technology that the consumers want so that they can sell more units of that. A political organization like EU has no say in this. EU citizens already make this decision for themselves by voting with money and choosing to…

I don't care about private companies, if they want to operate with people they must follow a standard and so the news is good. All the time these companies do whatever they want like ditching headphone jack, fixed batteries, even if people don't want it. They force the change and we have to comply.

So yeah it's great for long term.

Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

#984

Post by birksherty »

codexb wrote: post #706
TheYumasi wrote: post #555

As an EU citizen, I am really happy with this decision. I am an iPhone user, but having an iPhone is not ubiquitous here, almost all of my friends/special other, use an Android phone with USB-C. Most of their laptops, Mac or not, use or allow USB-C for charging. This as been the case for a few years now, yet, if I go somewhere for more than a full day and forget my lighting cable, my phone will become a useless paper…

There's nothing wise or moral about this decision. Mandating a technology standard, purely for personal preference and convenience reasons -- not for reasons related to safety, or pollution, or security -- especially for things that change as fast as phones, is one of the most short-sighted and naive things any government could do. There's a long history of Apple using proprietary connectors to achieve performance sp…

It's not for all that reason. But to make companies follow standard. So it's a great decision.

These companies have been doing what they want for far too long like removing headphone jack, removable battery etc.

Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

#985

Post by JAlexoid »

s1artibartfast wrote: post #752
funklute wrote: post #651

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> A political organization like EU has no say in this. This is the short-sighted view. The unguided free market very often makes "decisions" that are detrimental to society as a whole, and it is absolutely necessary for political organisations to correct for this.

Society and legislators should only forbid harmful action. Not doing something helpful is very different than doing something hurtful. Compelling helpful action leads to all kinds of absurd conclusions. For example, that we should we compel doctors to work more hours because anytime they spend at home is to the detriment of their patients.

Cool. As soon as Apple relinquishes all monopoly on IP, then we can talk about if governments can interfere here.

These companies hold a craptonne of legal power to force me and you. I'm sorry that I have zero regrets when it comes to just a common standard... Just like I have zero regrets that all power outlets in EU are 220v/50Hz

Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

#986

Post by phendrenad2 »

adam_arthur wrote: post #928

Amazing to witness all the Apple apologists coming out to defend the lightning cable, which is both technologically inferior to USB-C, and proprietary. Apple has reached sufficient scale where their anti-competitive practices can be hugely detrimental to society... we don't need regulation if they would opt into consumer friendly practices to begin with. Obviously any regulation needs to be implemented in such a way…

> technologically inferior to USB-C

How so?

Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

#987

Post by JAlexoid »

mountainriver wrote: post #808
blue_light_man wrote: post #607

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is such a short sighted view. What just happened is, EU, a political organization enforcing the use of a technology on a company which operates on free market. It's Apples best interest to make technology that the consumers want so that they can sell more units of that. A political organization like EU has no say in this. EU citizens already make this decision for themselves by voting with money and choosing to…

Yup this is huge government overreach and the EU increasingly looks hostile to tech companies which produce most of the value in modern economies. Don’t like the lightning cable? Buy a different phone, it’s really that simple

If we had a true free market, without that IP monopoly crap, I would be able to buy a 100% compatible iPhone clone with USB-C.

But since Apple gets the benefit of IP monopoly - I can't.

Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

#988

Post by JAlexoid »

rs999gti wrote: post #973
blue_light_man wrote: post #607

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is such a short sighted view. What just happened is, EU, a political organization enforcing the use of a technology on a company which operates on free market. It's Apples best interest to make technology that the consumers want so that they can sell more units of that. A political organization like EU has no say in this. EU citizens already make this decision for themselves by voting with money and choosing to…

> What just happened is, EU, a political organization An unelected political organization

European Parliament voted on this. It is quite literally elected.

Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

#989

Post by outworlder »

codexb wrote: post #706
TheYumasi wrote: post #555

As an EU citizen, I am really happy with this decision. I am an iPhone user, but having an iPhone is not ubiquitous here, almost all of my friends/special other, use an Android phone with USB-C. Most of their laptops, Mac or not, use or allow USB-C for charging. This as been the case for a few years now, yet, if I go somewhere for more than a full day and forget my lighting cable, my phone will become a useless paper…

There's nothing wise or moral about this decision. Mandating a technology standard, purely for personal preference and convenience reasons -- not for reasons related to safety, or pollution, or security -- especially for things that change as fast as phones, is one of the most short-sighted and naive things any government could do. There's a long history of Apple using proprietary connectors to achieve performance sp…

> especially for things that change as fast as phones

USB-C is forward looking. It will be quite a while before it will no longer be useful.

Re: EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

#990

Post by salmo »

Nullabillity wrote: post #68
salmo wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that’s what weirds me out. In cases like rail, it’s necessary for interoperability and prevents anti competitive practices. There’s a clear state interest there. But swapping a plug doesn’t buy us that. This is evidenced by the fact that no company is forced to use lightning to compete. Almost everything uses USB-A at the outlet and choose your other end. We’re starting to see USB-C at the outlet, but same th…

> I also don’t see the e-waste argument. I haven’t had a cable outlive a device. My old Nokia Micro-B cables outlived their bundled devices by a factor of… 3x or so? And I only took those out of use because I don't have a lot of stuff that still uses Micro-B. Actually, I don't think I've ever managed to break a USB cable yet. What on earth are you doing to the things?!

Come to think of it, I don’t break them. It’s when I let my kids borrow/take them. Except micro, those connectors just wear out in a year or two.

My kids keep their tablets plugged in while using a lot of the time. I think it’s the stress on the joint from having the cable taut or yanking it around or something.

I did change to making them pay for replacements. That definitely slowed the rate :).

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