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Apple's Lightning to 30-Pin Adapter Begins Shipping

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Daveoc64

macrumors 601
Jan 16, 2008
4,074
92
Bristol, UK
CSpackler said:
Many would disagree with you. The flip side of Socialism is that the State decides what rights you get, how much money you must give them, what you learn in their free schools, what kind of food you eat, what wars you must fight, who you should vote for... you're essentially a drone on a large human farm who produces for the 1%. They have a monopoly on legalized violence and force and those at the top are accountable to no one. You get that in the US too, but it's a little easier to recognize and live outside the system, so to speak, at least somewhat.

So how 'bout that adapter?
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, but your idea of socialism sounds like the United States with a Republican government.
 
Z

ZipZap

macrumors 603
Dec 14, 2007
6,076
1,448
repoman27 said:
Yes. There are thousands of posts like yours, and not one single cogent argument substantiating this conjecture.
Click to expand...

Knockoffs will sell for less than $10...why cant Apple do the same?

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repoman27 said:
No. I don't capiche.

I understand that some people would like to be able to use legacy accessories with their new phone and may require an adapter to do so. However, I also understand that the only 30-pin dock connector accessories that require this adapter are those that also lack USB, analog audio, WiFi / AirPlay, and Bluetooth connections. Also, the only people who need to give Apple $30-40 are the early adopters who can't wait a couple months for 3rd party alternatives.

I don't follow the logic that because Apple has a healthy margin on the iPhone 5, they should give away an adapter that many people don't need instead of trying to sell it in order to recoup some of the hundreds of millions of dollars spent developing the Lightning interface. Because they are the only supplier for a product that is constrained by supply, they should give it away for free as opposed to charging what the market will bear? They didn't have to make these adapters at all, but since they did, don't you think it's pretty normal to try to sell them just like any other product, for a profit? How is this different than any standard business practice?

And why go through the effort of making a highly (if not over) engineered proprietary interface when they could have gone with a much lower-cost / higher-margin alternative? Isn't this more indicative of Apple wanting to provide the best possible solution for their customers, rather than simply maximize profits? I mean, if Apple hasn't offset the development costs for lightning yet, then keeping the 30-pin dock connector would have been more of a "cash grab" would it not?
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Who asked them to develop Lightning and replace the 30 pin connector. Seems to me doing so would ensure and new and healthy revenue stream.

I doubt its because the lightning tech is better... Its definitely more proprietary and thus more revenue for Apple.

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TC25 said:
No, he's not alone on this one.

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I missed the part where Apple forced you to buy an iPhone5. You, and all the other complainers, knew there was a new dock connector. You knew it'd require an adapter. You could have used your current iPhone and waited until aftermarket cables and adapters appeared before buying an iPhone5, but you didn't. Take responsibility for your own actions.
Click to expand...

Because this is a discussion about whether lightning is a cash grab....which it is....

Yeah now, only the IP5 has the lightning but soon all Apple mobile tech will have it...

And being its so proprietary...its clearly an attempt to make a uniquely singular revenue stream for Apple.

CASH GRAB.
 
fat jez

fat jez

macrumors 68020
Jun 24, 2010
2,083
614
Glasgow, UK
ZipZap said:
Yeah now, only the IP5 has the lightning but soon all Apple mobile tech will have it...

And being its so proprietary...its clearly an attempt to make a uniquely singular revenue stream for Apple.

CASH GRAB.
Click to expand...

2 things. The iPod Touch 5th Gen, the iPod Nano and the iPod Shuffle also have Lightning.

Secondly, what was the 30-pin dock connector if not proprietary?
 
S

squidcommander

macrumors member
Dec 18, 2008
51
0
Apple Lightning to 30-pin Adapter Video Review

And now without further ado, I introduce to you the most exciting Apple video review ever created!

 
Last edited:
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jasonbterry

macrumors newbie
Sep 19, 2012
6
0
UPS delivery

perhaps i should've expected this, but i just got the notification that a "first delivery attempt was made" for my adapter. i didn't anticipate needing to sign for a $30 item, but maybe i'll help someone out who's also expecting a delivery. se la vie.
 
RemE

RemE

macrumors regular
Mar 19, 2012
213
223
Just got my adapters and they are going back. I have a very thin TPU case and this style adapter must butt right up to the phone so the whole bottom of any case must be open. After seeing the added length and all, this adapter is worthless to me. The pigtail version should arrive tomorrow and will be better for my use.
 
powerbook911

powerbook911

macrumors 68040
Mar 15, 2005
3,999
379
I received my first adaptor tonight. In my Mercedes, everything works with adaptor. Full control via head unit, steering wheel, and charging.

Why did some articles online claim this would not be supported? They were really off base.
 
Z

ZipZap

macrumors 603
Dec 14, 2007
6,076
1,448
RemE said:
Just got my adapters and they are going back. I have a very thin TPU case and this style adapter must butt right up to the phone so the whole bottom of any case must be open. After seeing the added length and all, this adapter is worthless to me. The pigtail version should arrive tomorrow and will be better for my use.
Click to expand...

Pigtail??
 
F

fishmoose

macrumors 68000
Jul 1, 2008
1,851
346
Sweden
Changed my order from the adapter without the cable to the one with a cable. After watching videos of the non cable adapter I was worried it would put too much strain on the connector when in use with my Harman/Kardon Go Play II.
 
RemE

RemE

macrumors regular
Mar 19, 2012
213
223
ZipZap said:
Pigtail??
Click to expand...

Right, the 8" cable version of the dock adapter. I received one today and it works like a champ in my car. I then slipped black heat shrink tubing over the Lightning connector and cable, looks much nicer in the car with all black cables. White cables in the field just look ratty in no time.

I returned the one piece adapters to my local Apple store for refund, they are just too bulky and I believe one is just asking for trouble with all that leverage on that little tab of a connector.
 
D

dahauss

macrumors 6502
Jul 7, 2009
297
26
I am sticking with my 4S. I have a few IHOME clock radios and a few docks and lots of home and car chargers.. for me to have to purchase a $40 adapter for each device is crazy...Would need to spend almost as much as the phone. I dont want to carry one adapter around.... Im also telling my Wife who will be getting a iPhone in January to get a 4S. When you can get a 32GB 4S for just about under $200 and all of the cables and accessories and DOCKS she has for her IPAD and IPOD will work just fine....
 
SeaFox

SeaFox

macrumors 68030
Jul 22, 2003
2,619
954
Somewhere Else
Fraaaa said:
The actual production or the engineering?
Click to expand...
Please tell me you don't believe Apple actually designs every chip they use in their products.

And when buying chips from other companies even with the recoup for R&D you're still looking at pennies a chip.

Go look up some of the component cost stories from previous iPhone and iPads where they mention the per-unit costs and see how much things like radio baseband chips cost on a per-device basis. They're really cheap because the development costs are spread out over millions of units produced from the design.

If you believe this cable really has even 50% of its price tied to actual component costs you're about to get schooled when the third-party cables come out. The cost discrepancy in 30-pin dock cables between Apple and third-party manufacturers should give a clue.
 
Fraaaa

Fraaaa

macrumors 65816
Mar 22, 2010
1,081
0
London, UK
SeaFox said:
Please tell me you don't believe Apple actually designs every chip they use in their products.

And when buying chips from other companies even with the recoup for R&D you're still looking at pennies a chip.

Go look up some of the component cost stories from previous iPhone and iPads where they mention the per-unit costs and see how much things like radio baseband chips cost on a per-device basis. They're really cheap because the development costs are spread out over millions of units produced from the design.

If you believe this cable really has even 50% of its price tied to actual component costs you're about to get schooled when the third-party cables come out. The cost discrepancy in 30-pin dock cables between Apple and third-party manufacturers should give a clue.
Click to expand...

Apple bought/made deals with companies for chip designing and they have R&D departments for hardware and software. Do you think that they just get a random company and say "make us a lightning cable with a chip in there", and they just wait for the chip to be made.

I did not saying that the price is justified and I did not say that they do not have any profit on it.

The radio chip weren't designed by Apple as far as I know (Qualcomm?) beside that his old technology they only made a new chip, there is not as much R&D as for the lightning chip.

2012 is the year we ascend; ron paul for president, one peace and I'm out.
 
SeaFox

SeaFox

macrumors 68030
Jul 22, 2003
2,619
954
Somewhere Else
Fraaaa said:
Apple bought/made deals with companies for chip designing and they have R&D departments for hardware and software. Do you think that they just get a random company and say "make us a lightning cable with a chip in there", and they just wait for the chip to be made.
Click to expand...
What is this "lighting chip" you speak of? The cable has chips that do interpret the types of signals being received and adapt what is output on the pins to fit with the connected device, but that's nothing that requires custom fabricated silicon. You're imaging this cable to be far more complicated than it actually is. Is it more trouble to produce than some wires and a couple connectors? Absolutely. But it's not like we have to wait for TSMC to output wafers of anything special to make them.


Fraaaa said:
The radio chip weren't designed by Apple as far as I know (Qualcomm?) beside that his old technology they only made a new chip, there is not as much R&D as for the lightning chip.
Click to expand...

You don't think cell phone radio chips required much R&D when they first came out?

Do you think Quallcomm has been sitting on it's laurels and not made any improvements to radio baseband chips since the first cell phones were made in the 1970's? I suppose that's possible, I mean it's not like cell phones have been getting any smaller or needed to run on less power, or had to support new technologies in all that time. CDMA, GSM, and all the data networks specs were already drafted from the very birth of cellular technology (back when carriers were only using AMPS/TDMA).

Qualcomm has been able to sit back and spend no effort on their technology since the Regan Administration

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

You should probably stop now. You're embarrassing yourself.
 
D

DarwinOSX

macrumors 68000
Nov 3, 2009
1,637
185
CSpackler said:
Many would disagree with you. The flip side of Socialism is that the State decides what rights you get, how much money you must give them, what you learn in their free schools, what kind of food you eat, what wars you must fight, who you should vote for... you're essentially a drone on a large human farm who produces for the 1%. They have a monopoly on legalized violence and force and those at the top are accountable to no one. You get that in the US too, but it's a little easier to recognize and live outside the system, so to speak, at least somewhat.

So how 'bout that adapter?
Click to expand...

You don't know anything about socialism other than what you were taught by corporate America. Good job repeating it.
I'm sure you are completely unaware for example that Germany, the strongest country in Europe, is highly socialist. I'm sure you are also unaware that corporate America is as socialist as can be since they make the rules and laws by which they get giveaways from the American people. Somehow that's ok though....

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SeaFox said:
Please tell me you don't believe Apple actually designs every chip they use in their products.

And when buying chips from other companies even with the recoup for R&D you're still looking at pennies a chip.

Go look up some of the component cost stories from previous iPhone and iPads where they mention the per-unit costs and see how much things like radio baseband chips cost on a per-device basis. They're really cheap because the development costs are spread out over millions of units produced from the design.

If you believe this cable really has even 50% of its price tied to actual component costs you're about to get schooled when the third-party cables come out. The cost discrepancy in 30-pin dock cables between Apple and third-party manufacturers should give a clue.
Click to expand...

So far almost all the third party cables have been pieces of junk.
 
ideal.dreams

ideal.dreams

macrumors 68020
Jul 19, 2010
2,374
1,073
DarwinOSX said:
You don't know anything about socialism other than what you were taught by corporate America. Good job repeating it.
I'm sure you are completely unaware for example that Germany, the strongest country in Europe, is highly socialist. I'm sure you are also unaware that corporate America is as socialist as can be since they make the rules and laws by which they get giveaways from the American people. Somehow that's ok though....
Click to expand...

I'm sure that you are completely unaware that you are posting to a thread that is 4 months old with a subject that's irrelevant.
 
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