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Third-Party Vendor Beats Apple to Market With Reversible Lightning USB Cables
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Third party! yaakk! More cables that don't work properly with current devices. Just what we need! Oh the pain! the pain!!
I've bought reversible shirts from various manufacturers. I don't believe a reversible shirt's been patented.
If a Lightning cable isn't licensed by Apple, it infringes on their patent(s). In most countries it isn't legal to manufacture it, and it's not legal to import it into many countries. Certainly it's not legal to import it into the USA, but contraband like this is routinely smuggled in.
autrefois
macrumors 65816
It seemed obvious to me that was the intent of the post. Someone rushed out a reversible USB lightning cable before Apple just do they could say "first!" So somebody posted a comment saying they were "first" to make fun if the company.
Pretty silly that the post was removed since it was actually a comment on the article, did the mods not get it?
So are Belkin and co breaking the law with their lightning connectors?
And why are Apple assisting them to do so by selling their 'knock off' connectors in their own store and on their own website.
And why are Apple assisting them to do so by selling their 'knock off' connectors in their own store and on their own website.
USB Implementers Forum
You need to be an MFi member to make Lightning cables and accessories. My understanding is, that membership is free, but there's a per-connector licensing fee.
See this article for some details: Apple lowers MFi & Lightning licensing fees, paving way for more affordable iOS accessories
ooooh.... not having to turn the connector over is very exciting... product of the year worthy.... not.
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/11/27/thai-man-dies-after-alleged-electrocution-from-charging-iphone-4s-
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1283818/woman-electrocuted-while-answering-iphone-may-have-been-using-fake?page=all
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/06/please-dont-buy-cheap-phone-chargers-and-cables/
Do you think this is some kind of myth?
What? Someone beat Apple to the market with a new idea
No this can't be
I think this is going to be a part of Apples future. They make GREAT products, come up with GREAT idea's, put a massive effort into detail and their products 'Just Work'
BUT
They are VERY slow at getting product to the market. Granted part of the reason is to make sure they work properly
No this can't beI think this is going to be a part of Apples future. They make GREAT products, come up with GREAT idea's, put a massive effort into detail and their products 'Just Work'
BUT
They are VERY slow at getting product to the market. Granted part of the reason is to make sure they work properly
To be fair in ALL those examples you have it was due to a cheap CHARGER not cable. This is the difference here. I wouldn't touch an actual cheap mains connector with a barge pole, but a cheap cable?! Its can only fall apart the same way as Apple's and it only carries the same limited ampage (e.g. very low) from the USB plug. As long as you're using an official (or at least certifed/expensive USB plug) a 3rd party cable on its own its not going to be able to start a fire!
Way to ignore the rest of my post. Treat your cables with respect, and they don't break. I certainly don't seem to have these problems with my cables, Apple sourced or not, and I know I'm not alone.
I wouldn't bet on it. Apple has demonstrated their willingness to run roughshod over their competitors before.
They stole the iPhone name (from Cisco) without negotiating rights to the trademark ahead of time... and that cost them $60M. They stole the iPad name (from Fujitsu) without negotiating rights to the trademark ahead of time.
Apple is a big enough company that they aren't scared of taking on the little fish in court.
I suspect that your finding is not the norm. My two MBA have both gone through two or three cables each. The ends of them get discolored (from heat), and the insulation breaks down and gets brittle. They also have insufficient strain relief to keep from damaging the cable. Apple lost a class action lawsuit over magsafe 1.
I have gone through many variations of 30 pin cables; official iPad cable strain relief is horrible, third party is much more robust (except for Amazon's in-house brand, it is worse than Apple). My iPhone lightning connector seems to be okay, however, it is the exception to most of my apple cables.
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Of course, the cheaper cables are are from MonoPrice...
Even those most people would by from them, i have my view
I wonder weather Apple will be able to effectively control the licensing here anymore ..
Manufactures reckon they can get round the loop, and sell whatever accessory they want with, or without Apples approval, Customers get the feedback they deserve when it doesn't work as intended, even if it may not charge all the time..
These are the reasons why i would never buy cheap stuff.... But allot of people can't help themselves.
All companies care about is there first to the market, regardless if its been fully tested or not.
Even those most people would by from them, i have my view
I wonder weather Apple will be able to effectively control the licensing here anymore ..
Manufactures reckon they can get round the loop, and sell whatever accessory they want with, or without Apples approval, Customers get the feedback they deserve when it doesn't work as intended, even if it may not charge all the time..
These are the reasons why i would never buy cheap stuff.... But allot of people can't help themselves.
All companies care about is there first to the market, regardless if its been fully tested or not.
Because apple created parts then patented it then the next day there is a 3rd party version.
Tripp Lite Reversibles
I have used these (google or amazon this: Tripp Lite USB Extension Cable - USB 2.0, Universal / Reversible A (M) to A (F), 1.5 to 480 Mbps, 10',Black) USB extensions and they are reversible on the computer side. It is a great idea - even better when both sides dont care which way is up!
I have used these (google or amazon this: Tripp Lite USB Extension Cable - USB 2.0, Universal / Reversible A (M) to A (F), 1.5 to 480 Mbps, 10',Black) USB extensions and they are reversible on the computer side. It is a great idea - even better when both sides dont care which way is up!