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KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,019
7,862
Just saw it before you guys posted. Simply, damit. Why?! Why USB 2.0? Archaic transfer protocol should die!

I guess they want you to use the Cloud. USB 3.0 would have been nice as a selling point. However, that's not to say it can't be added in a later update (Apple intends to use the Lightning plug for "years to come" according to Phil Schiller). Note that Micro-USB is USB 2.0, as well, so it doesn't put Apple at a disadvantage.
 

3bs

macrumors 603
May 20, 2011
5,434
24
Dublin, Ireland
I guess they want you to use the Cloud. USB 3.0 would have been nice as a selling point. However, that's not to say it can't be added in a later update (Apple intends to use the Lightning plug for "years to come" according to Phil Schiller). Note that Micro-USB is USB 2.0, as well, so it doesn't put Apple at a disadvantage.

At least the competitors aren't suggesting that micro-USB is lightning fast (or faster at all in this case)
 

Nanker/Phelge

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 6, 2010
168
1
Actually, after digging around I don't think that this is that big of a deal. It seems iTunes gets in the way of saturating a USB 2.0 connection, not the actual connection method.
 

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,019
7,862
At least the competitors aren't suggesting that micro-USB is lightning fast (or faster at all in this case)

They didn't actually say it was faster (or even fast) during the presentation. Lightning is a play on Thunderbolt.
 

Nanker/Phelge

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 6, 2010
168
1
I know. But what are people going to think when they hear that. It's just a misleading that's all I'm saying.

I agree it's misleading...but that's what marketers do. Apple happens to have (IMO) the single greatest marketing department in the world.
 

rusty2192

macrumors 6502a
Oct 15, 2008
997
81
Kentucky
I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that the new Lightning connector will be made compatible with Thunderbolt with the new iPad early next year. The next iPhone would then follow suit.
 

pupu.in

macrumors newbie
Jul 16, 2010
1
0
I guess Lightning is in fact meant exactly for USB3

Typical USB3 connections they need 9 pins, however a couple of such pins are common (GND), meaning that 8 pins should be enough to drive a USB3 connection.

Using all of its 8 pins the Lightning cable could be (pin by pin) readily compatible with USB3 specification.

Then considering that the vast majority of Mac devices out there have USB2 only on board, I think is sane marketing to include a USB2 cable in the box and make available for sale backup ones for ~20 bucks.

Shall we see 3rd parties jump on the vagon of the SuperSpeed?

Anyway, here's the USB3 pinout.

Would love to buy a Thunderbolt to Lightning cable one day ;)
 

Nanker/Phelge

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 6, 2010
168
1
Typical USB3 connections they need 9 pins, however a couple of such pins are common (GND), meaning that 8 pins should be enough to drive a USB3 connection.

Using all of its 8 pins the Lightning cable could be (pin by pin) readily compatible with USB3 specification.

Then considering that the vast majority of Mac devices out there have USB2 only on board, I think is sane marketing to include a USB2 cable in the box and make available for sale backup ones for ~20 bucks.

Shall we see 3rd parties jump on the vagon of the SuperSpeed?

Anyway, here's the USB3 pinout.

Would love to buy a Thunderbolt to Lightning cable one day ;)

Interesting...thanks for this.
 

$lickster

macrumors newbie
Sep 13, 2012
2
0
iPhone5 Lightning USB3?

I've been hunting around but not found if this new lightning connector is USB3.

Anyone know for sure if it is (or not)?
 

$lickster

macrumors newbie
Sep 13, 2012
2
0
It isn't.

<Sigh> would have been nice. I guess Apple wants to encourage us to do everything over the air but I shuffle stuff (video mostly) on and off my 4S a fair bit so USB3 would have been nice.

I'm also waiting for USB3 on the thunderbolt display - nudge nudge Apple, pretty please.
 

Cougarcat

macrumors 604
Sep 19, 2003
7,766
2,553
<Sigh> would have been nice. I guess Apple wants to encourage us to do everything over the air but I shuffle stuff (video mostly) on and off my 4S a fair bit so USB3 would have been nice.

USB 3 wouldn't have made a difference as the bottleneck is in the flash.

When flash gets faster Apple can easily upgrade Lightning to USB 3.
 

tmanto02

macrumors 65816
Jun 5, 2011
1,217
452
Australia
USB 3 wouldn't have made a difference as the bottleneck is in the flash.

When flash gets faster Apple can easily upgrade Lightning to USB 3.

If you don't mind me asking but how do you know this?

It just seems difficult to grasp that the slowest component is the flash and not a 480Mb connector.
 

Cougarcat

macrumors 604
Sep 19, 2003
7,766
2,553
If you don't mind me asking but how do you know this?

It just seems difficult to grasp that the slowest component is the flash and not a 480Mb connector.

Flash transfer speeds on the iphone are around 20 MB/sec: http://*****anandtech.com/show/4971/apple-iphone-4s-review-att-verizon/4 (scroll to bottom)
 

Loono

macrumors member
Oct 9, 2009
69
13
They're obviously saving usb3.0 as a revolutionary feature for the 5S next year!

I think it will be for iPhone 6.
At the moment i'm happy with 4s. When iPhone 6 comes out roughly 2 years time, 4G coverage will be much better. So i'll probably upgrade then.

Before I bought rMBP, I had a 2006 Macbook Core Duo. I resisted updating early because of the lack of USB 3.0.
 

VSMacOne

macrumors 603
Oct 18, 2008
5,760
2,741
"I can't think of a reason" != "There is no reason"

Whether you agree with Apple's decision or not:
http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/12/apples-new-lightning-connector-what-it-does-and-doesnt-change/

Welp I'll eat my words :D

At first it didn't make any sense that they would still use USB2.0, but after reading this article it starts to. The majority of Macs out there still have USB 2.0 so most people wouldn't be able to take advantage of the speed increase if the new cable would be based on USB3. So Apple won't waste money on implementing a feature that would most likely not benefit a whole lot of people right now.
 

Lex Yu

macrumors member
Nov 27, 2009
32
0
No - Apple is good at marketing, not making products.


Really?

Have you heard about iPhone, iPad, iMac, MacBook Air, iOS, OS X, and etc.?

Sometimes I feel that people from the U.K. hate everything Americans made.

My English teacher who's staying in Korea for his job, said he knows Keynote is better than PowerPoint but he wouldn't use Apple's product because Apple is American corporation.

(Wasn't PowerPoint built by Microsoft that is in Seattle?)
 

matttye

macrumors 601
Mar 25, 2009
4,957
32
Lincoln, England
Really?

Have you heard about iPhone, iPad, iMac, MacBook Air, iOS, OS X, and etc.?

Sometimes I feel that people from the U.K. hate everything Americans made.

My English teacher who's staying in Korea for his job, said he knows Keynote is better than PowerPoint but he wouldn't use Apple's product because Apple is American corporation.

(Wasn't PowerPoint built by Microsoft that is in Seattle?)

Not sure why I said that. I have an iPhone 5 now and love it :D
 
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