I preordered the dock adapter while the keynote address was just finishing up (refreshing the Apple website til it appeared) and even though I ordered 9/12, it still shows delivery: October! WTF? Have any Apple stores even carried it yet? Are they being manufactured at all or are these concept models in the pics of the adapter? I only ordered that one as a backup if I couldn't find one on release day (and no surprise, I didn't).
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Apple Keeping Tight Control Over Lightning Connector, Requiring Approval of Third-Party Factories
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You are a huge geek.
And it is awesome.
Agreed. +1 to all DIY-ers.
FWIW, I can think of a few reasons to extend the cable via that method vs. using an extension. I also keep spools of GB ethernet (and other wire), connectors and appropriate tools for making cables/extensions/etc.
have you tried hopping on the apple store page after 10pm to see if you can reserve one for the next day?
all 5 apple stores around me show cables in stock and even though apple's site claims 1-2 week shipping time multiple people including myself have ordered from apple.com and received our cables with a few days
I ordered cables and adapters right after the phone was announced, from an overseas manufacturer through the Amazon store. Once I saw the cables contained a controller chip I became skeptical I'd ever see my products. That proved to be the case. First I got an announcement that my order would be delayed. Yesterday I got an email from Amazon saying the order had been canceled.
Cutting and soldering an extension piece of wire to your cable might be a nice idea - right up until the lightning or USB connector possibly fails. At that point you've thrown away $20 bucks because Apple will no longer warranty your cable. Yea - much cheaper to just buy an extension USB cable - what, maybe $3 bucks?
And what's with all the silly whining over $20 bucks. You've got an $850 phone - knowing you've got a quality and terrific Apple warranty on that twenty dollar cable is a no brainer. You want a $3 wire - buy a $20 phone...
I'm personally happy that Apple is controlling the accessory market. I've wasted way too many $$$ buying crap that is either DOA or just fails within weeks or months. I have to admit - my Apple accessories have never failed me. As for a dock - unless you don't use a cover on your phone - that's pretty much a dead end just as most in the past. Covers mostly negate proper alignment with docks since they are made for naked phones.
I am in agreement about the adapters - they SHOULD have been available when the first batch of phones hit the streets. Apple dropped the ball with that one for sure!
By the way - on Friday Sept. 21st I walked into my local VZW store and had a new iPhone5 64 gig black model within minutes. Two customers present (counting me) and 840 phones in stock for opening day. I was amused that evening watching the news and seeing the lines for days ahead in NYC at Apple stores...
Which brings me to the next point - my local Apple store (Freehold, NJ) has had tons of the cables in stock since day one. I prepaid online apple store, went to my local store and three minutes after scanning the receipt I had printed (from my emailed verification) they were handing me my two spare cables. One for home, one for my office and the original cable is in my car attached to a Griffen ($6.98) USB car adapter, working just fine!
While I'm applauding Apple - might as well go slightly off topic and add that my maps has worked flawless for my area of Central NJ..
Guess the Man upstairs is rewarding me for being a loyal Apple fan since 1983...
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Which also comes in black as well as numerous other colors...
And what's with all the silly whining over $20 bucks. You've got an $850 phone - knowing you've got a quality and terrific Apple warranty on that twenty dollar cable is a no brainer. You want a $3 wire - buy a $20 phone...
I'm personally happy that Apple is controlling the accessory market. I've wasted way too many $$$ buying crap that is either DOA or just fails within weeks or months. I have to admit - my Apple accessories have never failed me. As for a dock - unless you don't use a cover on your phone - that's pretty much a dead end just as most in the past. Covers mostly negate proper alignment with docks since they are made for naked phones.
I am in agreement about the adapters - they SHOULD have been available when the first batch of phones hit the streets. Apple dropped the ball with that one for sure!
By the way - on Friday Sept. 21st I walked into my local VZW store and had a new iPhone5 64 gig black model within minutes. Two customers present (counting me) and 840 phones in stock for opening day. I was amused that evening watching the news and seeing the lines for days ahead in NYC at Apple stores...
Which brings me to the next point - my local Apple store (Freehold, NJ) has had tons of the cables in stock since day one. I prepaid online apple store, went to my local store and three minutes after scanning the receipt I had printed (from my emailed verification) they were handing me my two spare cables. One for home, one for my office and the original cable is in my car attached to a Griffen ($6.98) USB car adapter, working just fine!
While I'm applauding Apple - might as well go slightly off topic and add that my maps has worked flawless for my area of Central NJ..
Guess the Man upstairs is rewarding me for being a loyal Apple fan since 1983...
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Too bad it's not tape.. try heatshrink tubing
Which also comes in black as well as numerous other colors...
I don't understand the problem. I use the same wall and car chargers I've been using with earlier iPhones for years. I just plug in the new phone's lightning cable instead. It's really not that hard.
Edits: the apple stores have lightning cables in stock now. Like others, I wish adapters were available sooner. I'm still waiting for the ones I ordered from apple online store.
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Money Grab
Well, I'm not feeling this problem since switching to an HTC One X, but let's look at this for what it is -- a pure money grab on Apple's part. They feel they are large enough to basically establish standards so that:
All this back-and-forth discussion about the "technical" merits of the connector is ridiculous -- that is Apple putting a smoke-screen in front of you to detract from the main goal which is to make tons of money off of an item that costs pennies to make. Remember, their entire OS cost $10 less than the stupid cable they're charging for.
Add to that it doesn't even provide for USB 3.0 speeds. I generally like most-things Apple, but this stinks big time...
Well, I'm not feeling this problem since switching to an HTC One X, but let's look at this for what it is -- a pure money grab on Apple's part. They feel they are large enough to basically establish standards so that:
- They don't have to pay licensing/patent fees to anyone else
- They can create a secondary market for accessories
- They can charge 3rd party manufacturing for the "benefit" of producing items to support their eco-system
- They can charge exhorbitant rates for practically useless items
All this back-and-forth discussion about the "technical" merits of the connector is ridiculous -- that is Apple putting a smoke-screen in front of you to detract from the main goal which is to make tons of money off of an item that costs pennies to make. Remember, their entire OS cost $10 less than the stupid cable they're charging for.
Add to that it doesn't even provide for USB 3.0 speeds. I generally like most-things Apple, but this stinks big time...
You want a cheaper cable to charge your luxury device. That's just lack of perspective.
Saw several in my local Apple store last Saturday. Also, many people ordered them as soon as they decided to buy an iPhone 5 and have them now.
Nope, you don't. But I suspect it has to do with improperly manufactured cables can either screw up the phone, or make it not work causing customers to blame Apple. And the loudest complainers are usually the ones who demand the cheap third party knock off cables too.
Uhm... yeah it was too big. New iPhone is thinner, iPod touch is thinner. Heck it's hard to get the 30-pin adapter into an iPad with its bezeled edge. The new connector has smarts in it that makes it more than just a cheap cable deal with it. In a year or two when iOS devices get flash ram fast enough to use USB 3, you'll be glad Apple went with a connector that can adapt. Because you couldn't with the old connector.
So what is it when Samsung changes their connectors 18 times in the last ten years and don't even product adapters?
Too bad it's not tape.. try heatshrink tubing
looks good try white heat shrink tape next time they make it.
I would has used white tape
He considered it but it cost 99 cents more.
(JK--I like the cable-maker's "get 'er done" attitude.)
Well... good?!?
This seems like a very "Jobs-ian" thing to do. It's greedy, locks out cheap knock-offs and Apple makes all the money. As hard as it is to say, that's great!
I don't want to pay a lot for a cable anymore than the next guy, but this is the first thing I've seen Apple do, that Steve would've done, without Steve at the helm. The rest has been screw-ups, apologies, mediocrity. I'm just glad to see some resemblance to Steve's era.
This seems like a very "Jobs-ian" thing to do. It's greedy, locks out cheap knock-offs and Apple makes all the money. As hard as it is to say, that's great!
I don't want to pay a lot for a cable anymore than the next guy, but this is the first thing I've seen Apple do, that Steve would've done, without Steve at the helm. The rest has been screw-ups, apologies, mediocrity. I'm just glad to see some resemblance to Steve's era.
Nice rose tinted goggles.
A) Apple's cable quality sucks. All of my first part cables since the introduction of the iPhone failed in no time if they were ever used for travel.
B) The 30-pin was not too large - Apple could have made it work if they wanted to. Or hell, they could have just given us a bigger iPhone like many wanted.
C) The 30-pin still had unused pins - they could have added USB 3 functionality.
D) Samsung is irrelevant. It's not the connector change that's a major issue (though it was unnecessary), but the new terms coming with it. Only $30 cables, which will fail, and they're requiring some control over other peoples' plants... So that will drive other costs up. It's the money grab aspect that is pissing people off
I like the new connector it is easier to use than the old one with regards to it fitting both ways and being easier to pull out straight without one side getting stuck in the device which was a common occurrence for me if I wasn't paying attention.
But having said that.. I'm pissed that there is still no docks or any Lightning compatible accessories on sale yet. I understand that there is going to be some lag time but the longer things go on the more we are finding that this delay could turn in to 2-3 or even a 6 month situation. Why Apple felt the need to put a chip inside the cable itself is beyond me.
But having said that.. I'm pissed that there is still no docks or any Lightning compatible accessories on sale yet. I understand that there is going to be some lag time but the longer things go on the more we are finding that this delay could turn in to 2-3 or even a 6 month situation. Why Apple felt the need to put a chip inside the cable itself is beyond me.
but that would stop the apple log in.
I honestly hopes that the new connector is what will finally push the manufactors to say F Apple propitiatory crap and going with a more open standard that everyone can use no matter the OS of the phone (blue tooth).
It would be great if Apple would do MHL support but Apple and following any standards industry standards just does not happen.
Which also comes in black as well as numerous other colors...
Your point?
Why go out and buy more when I have plenty.
It seemed pretty clear that this would happen, accessory lock down, it will be a year before there's any quantity of other cable/docking solutions available.
I do really like the new connector as it's a really solid mechanical design that should stand up to lots of wear and tear. I snapped up a handful of the Apple ones knowing that they would be the only option for some time.
I did add some 1/4" thin wall heat shrink tubing to the end to protect the most used ones on my desk and in the car. Apple's white strain relief construction looks good but the cables start looking dirty and ratty right at the connector end from daily use and they fail here first.
Why Apple thinks that everyone only needs a 3 foot cable is completely beyond me. They should have a 10-15ft cable option, charge only if necessary due to the length. They should have a desk cradle, sheese, dweebs...
For now you have to search long and hard but there are some useable items out there from Sedio and Cellet that got me going for the car setup.
I do really like the new connector as it's a really solid mechanical design that should stand up to lots of wear and tear. I snapped up a handful of the Apple ones knowing that they would be the only option for some time.
I did add some 1/4" thin wall heat shrink tubing to the end to protect the most used ones on my desk and in the car. Apple's white strain relief construction looks good but the cables start looking dirty and ratty right at the connector end from daily use and they fail here first.
Why Apple thinks that everyone only needs a 3 foot cable is completely beyond me. They should have a 10-15ft cable option, charge only if necessary due to the length. They should have a desk cradle, sheese, dweebs...
For now you have to search long and hard but there are some useable items out there from Sedio and Cellet that got me going for the car setup.
Attachments
Actually I did
nice one. Anyone who is not that comfortable with soldering can get a USB extension cord (m to f) and plug it to the USB end of the Lightning USB cable.