Will Apple be able to render 3rd party lightning cables etc useless with iOS updates?

[Kukulcan]

And if so, do you think they will?

[AndroidBlows]

Yes.

[Beeplance]

Don't think so.

Don't 3rd party manufacturers make their lightning accessories the same way Apple make the lightning cable? The 8-pin has to be the same in order to function.

[Kukulcan]

Originally Posted by Beeplance

Don't think so.

Don't 3rd party manufacturers make their lightning accessories the same way Apple make the lightning cable? The 8-pin has to be the same in order to function.

The connector has "intelligence" in it and if this goes beyond what can be reverse-enginered easily for working with the current setup than Apple might be able to make incompletely engineered accessories useless.

Just wanted to know if people have deeper insight into the technical details.

[ProudLoz]

As long as it's Apple approved, I don't think we should worry about any third pary accesorry.

[unagimiyagi]

Lightning security is a dumb move by Apple, but entirely consistent with the modus operandi. Steve Jobs is gone, they don't need to control everything to this degree.

It's their prerogative to do it, our prerogative not to buy it or to buy any accessories we want.

I've got no special loyalty to Apple. I'm just a picky person, and Apple is the only manufacturer that pays attention to small details that I for some reason tend to notice when I use their products. But yes their closed system and micromanaging ways annoy me to no end, and the lightning cable "security" really is over the top. As soon as a better smartphone comes out, I'm ready to jump ship, but Android has several flaws in it that I see from a usability perspective.

But for a charging cable, it should be pretty commoditized soon. I've used cables that are fine and 1/3 the price, so no need to get a lightning cable. You just have to do your research to see which of the knockoffs perform like knockoffs and which ones perform like the real deal.

[nuckinfutz]

I hope so.

[swervinsuburban]

I don't even know if that's legal, it would give them a monopoly on third party products and I don't think that would fly with the Feds

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by swervinsuburban

I don't even know if that's legal, it would give them a monopoly on third party products and I don't think that would fly with the Feds

They have a licensing program and other third parties making cables. Just because not to have your product licensed doesn't give you an legal way to claim foul (as a vendor)

[duffc]

Originally Posted by Kukulcan

The connector has "intelligence" in it and if this goes beyond what can be reverse-enginered easily for working with the current setup than Apple might be able to make incompletely engineered accessories useless.

Just wanted to know if people have deeper insight into the technical details.

Doesn't matter. If they changed the configuration it would also make their cables useless. The third party cables will have to mirror the iPads pin configuration. There isn't a way to reprogram the cable. There is a way to control what data is sent down what pin.

[swervinsuburban]

Originally Posted by nuckinfutz

They have a licensing program and other third parties making cables. Just because not to have your product licensed doesn't give you an legal way to claim foul (as a vendor)

i'm saying its not legal, thats like car companies saying you are only allowed to use their parts on their cars, can they do this? That goes for any company in the United states, are they allowed to say you can only use their part on their product? No its not legal.