Apple's Lightning to 30-Pin Adapter Begins Shipping

[Daveoc64]

Originally Posted by CSpackler

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?

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

[ZipZap]

Originally Posted by repoman27

Yes. There are thousands of posts like yours, and not one single cogent argument substantiating this conjecture.

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

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Originally Posted by repoman27

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?

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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Originally Posted by TC25

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.

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]

Originally Posted by ZipZap

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.

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?

[squidcommander]

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

[AidenShaw]

Originally Posted by squidcommander

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seEnQfq41qc

Great video - and it captures all of the excitement that this new adapter deserves....

[squidcommander]

Originally Posted by AidenShaw

Great video - and it captures all of the excitement that this new adapter deserves....

Thanks! As you can tell I put a lot of time into it.

[jasonbterry]

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]

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]

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.

[ZipZap]

Originally Posted by RemE

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.

Pigtail??

[Veinticinco]

Originally Posted by ZipZap

Pigtail??

He means the one with a short 20cm cord.

[fishmoose]

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]

Originally Posted by ZipZap

Pigtail??

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.

[dahauss]

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]

Originally Posted by Fraaaa

The actual production or the engineering?

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]

Originally Posted by SeaFox

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.

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]

Originally Posted by Fraaaa

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.

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.

Originally Posted by Fraaaa

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.

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



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

[DarwinOSX]

Originally Posted by CSpackler

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?

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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Originally Posted by SeaFox

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.

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

[ideal.dreams]

Originally Posted by DarwinOSX

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....

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.

[NitroZip]

Originally Posted by Daveoc64

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

Not really up on US political parties are you?