Another Image of New Lightning Cable with Reversible USB Connector Surfaces

[cameronjpu]

This guy has a great explanation as to why Apple won't:

That's not a great explanation. It is in stark contrast to every other product that Apple makes, which is designed to sell in large numbers by being high quality and long-lasting. Both can't be true.

 

[farewelwilliams]

The interesting thing is that the iPhone and the iPad actually have the same battery life … if you use them for same things:

• Internet use/surfing the web on Wi-Fi: iPad up to 10 hours, iPhone up to 10 hours
• Internet use/surfing the web on cellular data network: iPad up to 9 hours, iPhone up to 8/10 hours (3G/LTE)
• Watching video: iPad up to 10 hours, iPhone up to 10 hours
• Listening to music: iPad up to 10 hours, iPhone up to 40 hours
• Talk time: iPhone up to 10 hours (on 3G)
• Standby time: iPhone up to 250 hours

The key difference is that most people actually use their iPhones more than their iPad. Firstly, I'd say the majority only uses the iPad when at home (+ while travelling), that already limits the time spent with the device compared to the iPhone which will be used all day long. Secondly, most people are sitting or lying down when using the iPad (exceptions would be an iPad streaming audio to loudspeakers), the iPhone is also used while standing or walking (in particular for listening to audio and talking).

Partially because we generally spend less time with our iPads, we also use them for a smaller number of tasks. Just think how many apps on the iPhone have you used in the last seven days and how many on your iPad? And because the iPad is a more stationary device, we also put less stress on the radio connections (more stable, less changes, on average better signal strength).

Being more stationary a device, we also are less bothered by weight and thickness with the iPad compared to the iPhone. If people weren't bothered by thickness and weight, all those not making it through a day on one charge would be happy using external battery cases.

Based on all this, it is reasonable to say that the sweet spot of customer satisfaction based on battery life and device thickness and weight corresponds to a longer real-life battery life of the iPad. That doesn't mean that the iPhone currently is at the sweet spot. But it is hard to accurately determine the precise location of the sweet spot.

even if the iPad had "less battery with normalized usage time" as you explained, it doesn't change my point about how wrong it is to say that Apple wants to limit battery life to encourage users to upgrade to the next generation.

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

All the USB ports are at the back of my mini and it is located in a way that I can't see the back of the computer. Everytime I plug in a USB cable I have to flip the cable around a few times before I get it inserted. Clearly I'm not the only one that experiences this, however, the passion in this thread makes it sound like this is a life ending (First World) problem.

Well the real problem here is not USB but the fact Apple refuses to place ports where it would be convenient for the user. If you need to plug / un-plug from the back of your mini frequently, I'd suggest a short extension, some of which come with a weighted base.

 

[cameronjpu]

I've taken my iPhone 5 to the Genius Bar in London and Brisbane and had it replaced twice because of battery issues. When asked why it kept happening, Both times the geniuses said that it makes people upgrade sooner and even when they have to book a genius appointment, it gets them into an apple store.

And are you under the impression that when apple formed this vast conspiracy it invited the Genius Bar worker at your apple store?

If you believe that I have a bridge in london to sell you.

The Genius Bar grunt is just spouting his own conspiracy. Just because it agrees with yours, you assume he must have inside info. False.

 

[utazdevl]

Pardon my complete stupidity on this, but if this new USB cable is used, wouldn't that mean that the cable included with the iPhone 6 wouldn't fit any existing computer's USB ports?

I mean, why would Apple do this? Wouldn't this mean that every iPhone used who wants to do more than just charge their phone would need to buy an adapter of some sort?

And there is it. This is so happening. sigh.

 

[Moto G]

Pardon my complete stupidity on this, but if this new USB cable is used, wouldn't that mean that the cable included with the iPhone 6 wouldn't fit any existing computer's USB ports?

I mean, why would Apple do this? Wouldn't this mean that every iPhone used who wants to do more than just charge their phone would need to buy an adapter of some sort?

And there is it. This is so happening. sigh.

NO. That's what I thought. Download the image in this thread, then ZOOM it up close and examine what they've done, and compare it to the USB plug you have with you. Physically, it will fit perfectly. Why would Apple design a plug which fits NO COMPUTERS? Does not compute, my friend - they don't just make arbitrary design decisions to annoy the public. Also, that image seems to give an optical illusion of sorts, which makes one think that it wouldn't fit.

Time to remove your conspiracy theorist's hat?

 

[jayisblessed]

As long as they make the cable around the lightning connector a lot tougher I'll be happy. It is ridiculous how easy they come apart

Hi, man! You should hold and pull the plug. Stop pulling the cable. I've been using my cable for over 2 years, and they never break.

 

[utazdevl]

NO. That's what I thought. Download the image in this thread, then ZOOM it up close and examine what they've done, and compare it to the USB plug you have with you. Physically, it will fit perfectly. Why would Apple design a plug which fits NO COMPUTERS? Does not compute, my friend - they don't just make arbitrary design decisions to annoy the public. Also, that image seems to give an optical illusion of sorts, which makes one think that it wouldn't fit.

Time to remove your conspiracy theorist's hat?

I'll be honest, I am not playing conspiracy theory. I really don't see how this might fit a standard USB port. Not sure how the electrode part can be in the middle, equidistant from each side or the exterior of the male port when the USB ports on my computer have the matching electrode part nearly flush on one side of the female port.

It is my assumption, if this port will be used on the iPhone 6 cable and it really won't fit a standard USB port, that Apple will be making some kind of announcement that this new USB port is the "future of USB" and they are using it because of some massive speed gain, and it will be on all future computers they release. The Adapter solution is a temporary solution, like the adapters people bought to make their 30 pin devices work with the Lighting connection 2 years ago. It seems very odd to me that Apple would try to be so far in front of the market in this area (pretty much why I don't think they will actually use this type of USB connection) but Apple seems to do less predictable things like this with more frequency now, so who knows.

Sure hope you are right, and the port actually does fit the standard USB ports I already have. I'm gonna be ticked off if my wife needs an adapter to connect her soon to be new phone to the computer.

 

[Erasmus]

I think I understand what you mean so I had a look. I don't think there is a problem though; this has been overcome already as people have already posted.

The female plug has a gap and then the tongue, which mates at approx 50% with the male connector. The tongue and the gap do not occupy more than 50% without a forgivable margin - there is always bit of play on devices that are plugged in. A thin PCB would have more than enough flex to do this and there will be empty cavities on either side to let it.

This is a USB 2.0 female port added to the same plug image I posted earlier (no yellow this time) Does it not look like a thinner double-sided tongue in the middle of the male port with flush leads which filled the gap between the rectangles couldn't accommodate existing female ports without a redesign? It does to me. I'd be interested in your opinion on that as well as anyone else's.

Image

Again, not perfect angles and I did resize the port by superimposing it over the existing image to make sure the boundaries fit while maintaining aspect ratio; I didn't bust out the calipers or rulers for this I'm expecting a degree of error; if it's too much then that's fair. If someone wants to measure or dig up some nice spec diagrams (or can tell me how to open the s12p files I got from the USB Implementer's forums) that would be great.

One thing I was surprised with by doing this was the gap between the housing on the female port and the tongue - bigger than I realized.

Either way we'll have to wait and see exactly how all of this really works in the end.

Yeah, OK, this picture suggests that it could work. I wouldn't have thought that there would be THAT much of a gap between the two contact plates. But even with such a large gap, the reversible tongue is going to have to be extremely thin, which makes it weak, and likely to break.

 

[deviant]

Why did it take USB 15 years to make such a simple thing as reversible cable? I mean....... We went to the moon for god's sake and they can't make a simple cable like that? Worth noting that apple did took, too, like 12 years..

 

[manu chao]

even if the iPad had "less battery with normalized usage time" as you explained, it doesn't change my point about how wrong it is to say that Apple wants to limit battery life to encourage users to upgrade to the next generation.

Unfortunately, I didn't read the post you were replying to. Thus my post was not meant as a comment on that post. I fully support your point that Apple is not keeping the battery capacity down to force people to upgrade (I cannot remember a noticeable increase in battery life when getting a new iPhone, thus Apple wasn't incentivising me to get a new iPhone via a low battery capacity).

 

[Erasmus]

Why did it take USB 15 years to make such a simple thing as reversible cable? I mean....... We went to the moon for god's sake and they can't make a simple cable like that? Worth noting that apple did took, too, like 12 years..

Or, why did "they" design USB that way to begin with? It seems a lot more complicated than it needs to be. Why do we need those plates inside on both plug and socket? Why can't there just be one big, solid, chunky tongue in the socket? Then it would be easy to make it reversible.

 

[2010mini]

To all the people who complain about lightning cables breaking...... What war zones have you been putting yours through? I've never had one that broke or unravelled.

 

[El Hikaru]

I think this new USB design is very bad to super bad. Apple should not use it.

 

[shanson27]

Hmm, nothing new

Translated:
A world first - Goes with everything
Patented USB A male plug on both sides - no matter how around
Optimally suitable for printers and external hard drives


Link

 

[bobright]

Will we still be able to use older lightning cables with the new iPhone, that's the question?

 

[Arran]

Why not just make the USB end of the cable like this, but with the metal connectors on both sides?

View attachment 485988

I don't see why not. Excellent idea!

A good electronic engineer could come up with a circuit to disconnect the unused contacts to prevent shorting on the metallic shield of the socket. It would probably mean a chip in the plug (like lightning) so it bumps the cost up. (But probably not by much once the thing is mass produced.)

----------

Why did it take USB 15 years to make such a simple thing as reversible cable? I mean....... We went to the moon for god's sake and they can't make a simple cable like that? Worth noting that apple did took, too, like 12 years..

Before USB we all used RS-232 and Centronics for connecting peripherals. Both interfaces used a polarized D-type/D shell connector that would only fit one way.

So I guess polarization was so ingrained in the USB designers mindset that they carried it over to USB?

I agree. Not very clever.

 

[ddarko]

I don't think you need to defend apple here.

Apples entire business model is based on forced obsolescence and has been since the first iMac. It's not cynical, it's just how apple do business.

It's why the first iPhone didn't have a front facing camera. And why the first iPad didn't either.

I've taken my iPhone 5 to the Genius Bar in London and Brisbane and had it replaced twice because of battery issues. When asked why it kept happening, Both times the geniuses said that it makes people upgrade sooner and even when they have to book a genius appointment, it gets them into an apple store.

Wait, Apple twice replaced your malfunctioning iPhone 5 for FREE (it sounds like) and you think Apple's strategy is to make lousy products so that people come into the store...and Apple gives them new phones? That's how they make money?

And down the rabbit hole we go...

 

[jkichline]

Certainly, but...

Actually his explanation is credible, cause rechargeable batteries do deteriorate over time.

Have you noticed that you have less charge left at nights before you recharge? I would find it extremely difficult to believe that your battery has the same charge after 4 years

Of course rechargeable batteries will slowly fade over time, but I think what he's saying, and what I have experienced... it isn't enough of a noticeable difference to be the motivating factor in purchasing a new phone. My iPhone 4S is still running strong and lasts the day with moderate usage. Perhaps I charge it more often, or for slightly longer each time, but it hasn't been enough to be noticeable.

My main reasons for upgrading is... well I want to. The iPhone 6 will be faster and I'd like to see how the larger screen is going to work (I like my current iPhone size). Generally though, I like my current phone and am happy with it aside from some slowdowns, and 16 GB storage.

 

[RenoG]

Dumb question, but how would this work ?

Nevermind, I found it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsosQXabPs8

How many of you early posters actually watched this? It quickly answers how it works/plugs in.

 

[PocketSand11]

It is also therefore possible that the new Lightning cable could utilize USB 3.0 technology, as current Lightning cables support only USB 2.0.

If this is true, we can start laughing at people who adore MicroUSB on their phones and who, as a result, have to or have had to switch connectors to get USB 3.0. Most non-iPad tablet users already have to use a non-standard connector because MicroUSB can't power them.

----------

I've taken my iPhone 5 to the Genius Bar in London and Brisbane and had it replaced twice because of battery issues. When asked why it kept happening, Both times the geniuses said that it makes people upgrade sooner and even when they have to book a genius appointment, it gets them into an apple store.
[Summary:]
Apple's planned obsolescence strategy is the worst kept secret in the history of the world. Other companies do it too, but apple is notorious for withholding features and technology in order to force upgrades.

OK, well my iPhone 5's battery works fine, as does my 4's and my 1's. The 1 was also from the recycling. We'll see what happens and what Apple will do to me as I keep my '08 MP and '09 MBP for my entire foreseeable future. So far, yeah I get less support (duh), but they've held strong.

Apple did do some feature-holding for the iPhones (3G not having video recording, 4 not having Siri, etc), but that's not forced obsolescence. Only Apple's recent jerk moves like leaving an SSL bug and then breaking FaceTime in iOS 6 were.

 

[tennisproha]

This guy has a great explanation as to why Apple won't:

Absolute nonsense. The upgrade factor isn't battery life, its newer tech.

 

[saha-med]

I doubt the calls for durability will get answered. So long cheap lightning cables exist, Apple's lightning cables can ship frayed and cost a bomb for all that i care

 

[RobertMartens]

Why do all images 'surface'? can't they do something else besides 'surface'?

Here are stories that surface in 2014 alone.

Another Image of New Lightning Cable with Reversible USB Connector Surfaces
Photos Claiming to Be of New Lightning Cable with Reversible USB Connector Surface
Additional Photos of Purported Silver iPhone 6 Rear Shell Surface
More Photos of Embedded Rear Logo, Rear Camera Ring of iPhone 6 Surface
Possible iPhone 4G Images Surface
Case for Larger 5.5-Inch iPhone 6 Model Surfaces with Dimensions
Renders of 4.7-Inch iPhone 6 Allegedly Sourced from Foxconn Surface
Drawings of Alleged 4.7-Inch and 5.7-Inch iPhone 6c Models Surface [Updated]
Photo of Alleged Front Panel from Larger-Screen iPhone 6 Surfaces [Updated]
iPhone 6 Physical Mockup Allegedly Based on Real Machine Schematics Surfaces
Alleged iPhone 6 Cases Surface, Apparently Based on Recent Design Drawings
Another Alleged iPhone 6 Case Surfaces with Cutouts for Moved Power Button
Alleged Images of iPhone 6 Chassis and Manufacturing Molds Surface
Sketchy iPhone 6 Images Said to be Sourced from Foxconn Surface
Sketchy iPhone 6 Dummy Unit Surfaces in New Photos
Video Depicting Demolition Progress at Apple Campus 2 Site Surfaces
First Images of Official Family Guy iOS Game Surface
Images of Apple's First Brazilian Retail Store Surface Ahead of Opening
Revised Plans for Flagship Apple Store in Brisbane, Australia Surface


At least they didn't come to 'fruition', gawd don't get me started on that one!

 

[Medic311]

I wish they had reversible serial cables back in the day, the parallel port 15 pin ones lol