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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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iLounge reports that Apple is continuing to keep strict control over its new Lightning connector found on the iPhone 5, moving to tighten its Made For iPad/iPhone/iPod (MFi) program policies for accessory manufacturers relative to the previous 30-pin dock connector design. According to the report, Apple is demanding that all MFi vendors seeking to launch Lightning-related accessories manufacture the products in Apple-approved facilities, but the company has yet to approve any such plants.
One source notes that Apple is planning an MFi "seminar," where it will discuss changes to the program and the rules for Lightning accessory development going forward. The seminar will be held in November in China, notes the source, after the point at which third-party Lightning accessories could be manufactured in time for holiday sale. Sources have further noted that the Lightning connector has proved difficult to copy, reducing the near-term likelihood of unauthorized third-party connector cables.
lightning_cable-e1347476331309.jpg



Apple's Lightning connector uses adaptive technology to permit a significant range of functionality with only eight contact pins, sensing what kinds of devices are being connected and dynamically assigning the pin functionalities needed for a given pairing. This dynamic assignment requires controller chips embedded in the Lightning connector cable, chips that have stymied third-party companies seeking to get a jump on the Lightning accessory market.

Article Link: Apple Keeping Tight Control Over Lightning Connector, Requiring Approval of Third-Party Factories
 

blackhand1001

macrumors 68030
Jan 6, 2009
2,599
33
All this nonsense and they could have just used microusb with MHL support and had all the functions this new dock connector has.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Nozuka

macrumors 68040
Jul 3, 2012
3,524
5,993
All this nonsense and they could have just used microusb with MHL support and had all the functions this new dock connector has.

Except using it both ways. Which is my biggest and only reason to like this new connector.
 

troop231

macrumors 603
Jan 20, 2010
5,822
553
Glad I made my own 6 and 10 foot Lightning cables the other day, seeing as third party options won't be available for awhile.
 

kas23

macrumors 603
Oct 28, 2007
5,629
288
This is getting ridiculous. Just let the manufacturers start making the accessories so we can use our phones in our cars. Or, better yet, how about releasing the adaptor already? Maybe Apple itself needs a seminar on how to successfully accomplish transitions because they are failing miserably in this regard.
 

Tastic Bycrom

macrumors regular
Jul 15, 2008
113
0
Kansas City, MO
They better get on it quick. A lack of available accessories is a reason not to upgrade. And for crap's sake, Apple, lower the price on these. I know there's more interesting technology going on in the cable itself, but the mark up is still crazy.
 

840quadra

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 1, 2005
9,253
5,966
Twin Cities Minnesota
All this nonsense and they could have just used microusb with MHL support and had all the functions this new dock connector has.

I suggest reading from this post on within a separate thread.

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=15870851#post15870851

MHL is not a good answer, and the standard is actually quite loose. PDMI would be a better fit for an "open" standard, however, that connector is too similar to the old Dock connecter so would not meet the smaller size requirement that Apple has put upon itself.
 

blackhand1001

macrumors 68030
Jan 6, 2009
2,599
33
MicroUSB only has two pins for data. The dock connector has many more. Understand that.

Hence why I said MHL support. Also the galaxy nexus, nexus 7, galaxy s3 also have usb otg support and can function both ways.


11-pin MHL-USB Connector
The Samsung Galaxy S III uses a connector that is similar to the original 5-pin MHL-USB connector, but it uses 11-pins in order to achieve a few functional improvements over the 5-pin design.
It supports the use of USB and MHL simultaneously. (Note that the new Samsung 11-pin MHL-HDMI adapter also has a USB On-The-Go port).
Samsung’s Galaxy S III can power the MHL-HDMI adapter. Although this can theoretically also be done with the standard 5-pin micro-USB connector, the Galaxy S III's 11-pin connector is believed to be the first smartphone that supports this functionality.
 

napabar

Suspended
Jun 12, 2008
316
513
Hence why I said MHL support. Also the galaxy nexus, nexus 7, galaxy s3 also have usb otg support and can function both ways.


11-pin MHL-USB Connector
The Samsung Galaxy S III uses a connector that is similar to the original 5-pin MHL-USB connector, but it uses 11-pins in order to achieve a few functional improvements over the 5-pin design.
It supports the use of USB and MHL simultaneously. (Note that the new Samsung 11-pin MHL-HDMI adapter also has a USB On-The-Go port).
Samsung’s Galaxy S III can power the MHL-HDMI adapter. Although this can theoretically also be done with the standard 5-pin micro-USB connector, the Galaxy S III's 11-pin connector is believed to be the first smartphone that supports this functionality.


But then Samsung would sue Apple over "copying" them.......:rolleyes:
 

lockerc18

macrumors 6502a
May 17, 2012
553
209
Apple should have had Lightning accessories like car chargers ready at the launch of the iPhone5. It's bad enough that they made this connector change to begin with, the technical rationale for doing so notwithstanding. They were irresponsible in not having appropriate Lightning connector accessories to replace the old style accessories at launch.

5 demerits for Apple on this one.
 
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