Apple Headset to Use 'New Proprietary Charging Connector' for External Battery

[lkrupp]

Can't wait to see what kind of contraption they try to sell to people who wear dresses or don't have pockets for the external battery.

The accompanying photos show a lanyard over the shoulder to hold the battery pack. Problem solved.

 

[panjandrum]

If you use it at home, why would you use a battery which will degrade with every circle. Why can't it be plugged in like a notebook? It would annoy me to change the battery after two hours.

Unless there is something very strange that we don't understand going on then it will be possible for Apple or third-party companies to produce cables that handle A/V and Power, as an option. But overall there is a trend away from tethered VR and towards stand-alone VR or even wireless VR (from a gaming pc). Note that I'm not a proponent of this, as I prefer a fully-capable quality experience over cable-free movement with simplistic titles, but others are perfectly happy with the reduced quality that a non-tethered experience provides. I understand Apple's making this a battery-powered device by default however, as that's the current industry trend.

 

[darngooddesign]

The accompanying photos show a lanyard over the shoulder to hold the battery pack. Problem solved.

Yep. Lanyard, arm band, belt clip, etc. There are already lots of ways to carry your phone without using a pocket.

 

[krspkbl]

I think it's fine. It's a headset that let's be honest doesn't look like it's going to be selling much. It's Apple so yeah people will buy it but Apple isn't expecting it to do big numbers.

You can't really compare something like this to a smartphone. Everyone and their cat has a smartphone so more waste is generated by having different power connectors.

Maybe if in 10-15 years if everyone is wearing a headset instead of staring down at their phones then we can worry about it using a different connection.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I see a lot of angst around the use of a proprietary charging plug of sorts.

I'm more curious as to getting investigatory reports on why an existing charging plug/socket may not work as well as Apple wants. Of course, that's an assumption of mine, but I'd like to hear the story around that. (Yes, yes, I already hear projections that it's all about money and limiting the use of charging set to proprietary Apple models. But, is it really, or is it only?)

It’s nothing, because this is not how the device will charge.
Literally in the article, it says it will charge via USB-C.
That’s how it will charge.
On the other hand, connecting the battery to the device will use this proprietary connector, probably so you don’t accidentally yank out a USB-C cable if you slightly move your head in the wrong way.
Either way, the device will charge via USB-C, and people here just are not reading the actual article because it’s more fun to get angry at nothing.

 

[darngooddesign]

Instead of just plugging in a battery pack you already own using a usb-c cable, you will need to use an Apple made power pack that will likely cost £200+ each time it needs replacing.

 

[darngooddesign]

God damn you, Tim Apple and your gaslighting about being an environmentally friendly company.

 

[rpmurray]

Has the EU heard about this?

 

[darngooddesign]

Has the EU heard about this?

Why would the EU object?

 

[npmacuser5]

Movies and more movies!😎 Now need to work on that pricing.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

...except the whole "AR/MR as a work tool" idea is going to live and die on how practical the goggles are to use for long periods. I don't doubt that Apple can come up with impressive demos of what the tech can do - there already have been impressive demos by others (and we've all seen AR on sci-fi shows) - but if you have to mess up your hair with strappy goggles, change battery packs every 2 hours (or tether your head to the desk) its not going to fly.

Yes precisely. Nobody gives a hoot what cable it charges with.

 

[Realityck]

This is such a fascinating product.

I was thinking slightly different, “this is such a demanding product”.

 

[Unami]

Gurman revealed that the charging cable that goes from the battery pack into the headset has a round tip that inserts magnetically.

The external battery pack is [...] designed to be charged via USB-C, and can be powered up using the same adapter included with the MacBook Pro.

Sounds like this is not about a "charging" cable but a power cable, whereas the charging cable is USB-C, according to Gurman.

Except if it's really possible to hot-swap batteries, the headset must have some small built in battery as well.

 

[antibolo]

Nobody is going to want a headset that requires you to wear a goddamn wire going down to a battery at your waist. It's insane to me that Apple releasing something like that is even a possibility that is being discussed.

Which reminds me, I should sell my Apple stock before this stupid thing releases.

 

[MacWiz_007]

I'm shocked, completely shocked! /s

 

[MacWiz_007]

Please, please let me catch someone wearing their Apple goggles and battery (fanny) pack because I am going to point and laugh my a** off at them! Let's be honest, some of you in here will be lining up for this trash. 🤣

 

[NT1440]

So...? What's the big deal here?

People need to feed into the ridiculous notion that Apple makes any appreciable amount of money through cable sales and graft that nonsense onto an unreleased product to bitch about.

So in other words, just MR being MR.

Usb C would be a terrible connection as it simply does not have enough “grip” to stay in when a little tension is pulled on (by design).

 

[darngooddesign]

Sounds like this is not about a "charging" cable but a power cable, whereas the charging cable is USB-C, according to Gurman.

Except if it's really possible to hot-swap batteries, the headset must have some small built in battery as well.

Another option is that the cradle which holds the battery provides a couple of minutes of standby power.

 

[timber]

I'm really curious about this product.

Particularly how Apple expects to convince anyone to wear this thing.

 

[robbietop]

Extra batteries have always been sold separately.

Really? I had no idea!

 

[fischersd]

Maybe they should have made it like Batman's utility belt to get the techie crowd? Because we haven't had enough neediness in mobile accessories since we lost the BlackBerry holster.

And the cable needs to be USB-C on the battery side....if we're lugging around a battery, don't you think we may want to charge our other portable devices from it?

Love the comment about wanting to plug it into the wall....cable pulling you off of your feet and down the stairwell in 3....2....

 

[ersan191]

If you use it at home, why would you use a battery which will degrade with every circle. Why can't it be plugged in like a notebook? It would annoy me to change the battery after two hours.

Because wires on headsets are annoying and get in the way.

 

[SactoGuy18]

I don't mind this connection. But make sure the connection to charge the battery is USB-IF Power Delivery 3.0 compatible to allow an initial charging rate of around 50 watts.

 

[darngooddesign]

Nobody is going to want a headset that requires you to wear a goddamn wire going down to a battery at your waist. It's insane to me that Apple releasing something like that is even a possibility that is being discussed.

Which reminds me, I should sell my Apple stock before this stupid thing releases.

Or…

Apple’s research demonstrated that users didn’t mind that because it meant that the headset was lighter and therefore more comfortable. People who want better quality music don’t seem to mind headphones with a cable.

 

[baryon]

It's not like there are dozens hundreds of battery connectors already available in the world to solve this exact problem. Connecting two wires is not such a simple thing you know! It needs to be reinvented each time, like the wheel!