Apple's Lightning Connector Detailed in Newly-Published Patent Applications

[Supacon]

It's not *that* complicated. The real complexity is in the device side. That's why Chinese manufacturers are able to make fully functional knock offs of this cable and sell them for under $3 each.

But the adaptive nature of this connector allows it to do all the things that the old 30 pin connector could do with few pins and less bulk. This is a brilliant, well engineered cable design, IMO. Much easier to use than MicroUSB. (Have you ever noticed that it usually seems to take 3 tries to insert a two sided microUSB cable?)

 

[iGrip]

Likely Apple tried to patent the idea of using proprietary crap that could be licensed to third parties, instead of using industry standard stuff that consumers could source at a reasonable cost.

But Sony likely beat them to it.

 

[Supacon]

I'd love a low friction one. That way I can lift it out of the dock with one hand.

The problem with this is that it likely wouldn't make contact consistently. This is a problem with some of the more poorly made knockoffs. You have to hold the cable in place to get it to charge. Maybe this could be partly achieved by making it less wide but the same thickness... but the springs that hold the conncector in are on the device side.

 

[iGrip]

I'm confused as to why the connector is so complex. The plug has eight pins on either side, but the jack only has eight pins on a single side.

Because it is like, way too confusing to put the plug in with the correct orientation.

 

[fortysomegeek]

Apple should make a HDMI-IN to Lightning. It would be a dongle (not the current one) that allows users to plug in devices to the iPad and use the iPad as a monitor.

Since these pins and IC can be configured any different way, it would be cool if the newer generation iPads could be used as HDMI field monitors with a dongle that allows HDMI input. It wasn't possible with the old 30 pin, but this allows them alot of flexibility.

This alone, will probably sell iPads for people who need portable field monitors. Who cares about the ecosystem (to them), I can see Hollywood filmmakers buying new iPads in drove. If they want to push hardware sales, a little small feature like this could do it. Easy $499 plus $50-70 for the dongle that Apple could be making.

 

[bungiefan89]

I could see wireless being very useful in a car where I'd rather not have cables running.

What would be really cool for car use is a magnetic phone with wireless charging. So if you imagine a flat surface on the center console panel, you just place your phone on it. No cables, it's being charged, and it serves as a screen for GPS, Podcast/music control, Siri, etc etc. You can do all that now, but it's pain and very un-elegant with all the little contraptions you need to setup.

That seems like it could be a neat thing to have for some people... but I'd much prefer to keep my phone in my pocket while I drive.

 

[needfx]

iphone 4 and your gazillion connectors

I U

 

[Treq]

The problem with this is that it likely wouldn't make contact consistently. This is a problem with some of the more poorly made knockoffs. You have to hold the cable in place to get it to charge. Maybe this could be partly achieved by making it less wide but the same thickness... but the springs that hold the conncector in are on the device side.

Still, I paid $70 for that kickstarter low friction dock just to fix that annoying problem, and they change the connector and make it even harder to unplug. I should be able to just set it in the dock and charge it, then just effortlessly lift it out with one hand, just like my star tac from 15 years ago. It seems like such a simple obvious thing, I can't believe it still hasn't been fixed.

 

[LagunaSol]

It's amazing how dismissive some people can be over what is literally a breakthrough connector design.

Parallel: Directional = challenging to connect.
Serial: Directional = challenging to connect.
ADB: Directional = challenging to connect.
USB: Directional = challenging to connect.
Mini-USB: Directional = challenging to connect.
Firewire: Directional = challenging to connect.
HDMI: Directional = challenging to connect.
30-pin Dock: Directional = challenging to connect.

Lightning: Non-directional = easy to connect.

Has there ever been a electronic connector that accomplished so much in so little space yet required so little effort from the user?

Yet people are going to dismiss this as unnecessary, over-engineered, pointless?

Good grief. This company can do no right.

 

[needfx]

It's amazing how dismissive some people can be over what is literally a breakthrough connector design.

Parallel: Directional = challenging to connect.
Serial: Directional = challenging to connect.
ADB: Directional = challenging to connect.
USB: Directional = challenging to connect.
Mini-USB: Directional = challenging to connect.
Firewire: Directional = challenging to connect.
HDMI: Directional = challenging to connect.
30-pin Dock: Directional = challenging to connect.

Lightning: Non-directional = easy to connect.

Has there ever been a electronic connector that accomplished so much in so little space yet required so little effort from the user?

Yet people are going to dismiss this as unnecessary, over-engineered, pointless?

Good grief. This company can do no right.

apple sucks. period

 

[Padraig]

It's amazing how dismissive some people can be over what is literally a breakthrough connector design.

Parallel: Directional = challenging to connect.
Serial: Directional = challenging to connect.
ADB: Directional = challenging to connect.
USB: Directional = challenging to connect.
Mini-USB: Directional = challenging to connect.
Firewire: Directional = challenging to connect.
HDMI: Directional = challenging to connect.
30-pin Dock: Directional = challenging to connect.

Lightning: Non-directional = easy to connect.

Has there ever been a electronic connector that accomplished so much in so little space yet required so little effort from the user?

Yet people are going to dismiss this as unnecessary, over-engineered, pointless?

Good grief. This company can do no right.

Wait, you actually find those other connectors challenging to connect? Really?

There are far more elegant solutions out there, but Apple keen to lock customers down went and ignored good engineering for profit maximisation.

 

[LagunaSol]

Wait, you actually find those other connectors challenging to connect? Really?

You've never fumbled trying to connect an HDMI cable to the back of your TV or taken a couple of tries to get a USB cable inserted correctly? Or had to use the light from your iPad screen to look at the dock connector cable in the dark to find the "This Side Up" logo to plug your iPad in for the night?

You must be amazing.

 

[uknowimright]

plugging cables in is the new rocket science

 

[repoman27]

I love all the comments from the "Apple has stopped innovating" camp when confronted with direct evidence that Apple is continuing to invent and patent technologies such as Lightning which marks a watershed in interface design.

"They could have just used micro USB," because that's true innovation. Especially when you throw in some proprietary tweaks like MHL or whatever Samsung happens to come up with. But no, Apple actually went the distance and created something new to actually address the shortcomings of existing connectors, charges the same price as they did for their previous cables, and people bitch because it's taking longer than they care to wait for cheap knock-offs to completely flood the market.

And to all those clamoring for wireless, these devices generally do support Bluetooth and WiFi. A physical port is still the most efficient way to charge, and very useful when servicing the device (unbricking). So if you're going to include one, it might as well be a well designed one.

 

[ConCat]

Wait, you actually find those other connectors challenging to connect? Really?

There are far more elegant solutions out there, but Apple keen to lock customers down went and ignored good engineering for profit maximisation.

..or they wanted a connector which could have its pins dynamically allocated to support future innovation. There really are no solutions out there at this level of elegance.

Because it is like, way too confusing to put the plug in with the correct orientation.

Remember: Apple makes products that are easy to use if you are elderly or have Down's syndrome. That is their new niche.

Not really... Having to have a cable plugged in one way isn't such a problem, but it is a very minor annoyance. Even a minor annoyance affects how people perceive a product. Since they were designing a cable that would have its pins dynamically allocated anyway, it made sense to have them dynamically allocated in either orientation while they were at it, just to get rid of that admittedly minor annoyance.

 

[peter.black]

Errr... That was Old Apple

They introduced the 'revolutionary' Lightning connector whe their ideas ran out. A pointless, unecessary and expensive "upgrade". Their next innovation was to reduce the size of their winning innovation under Steve Jobs. The iPad Mini. Now New (post Jobs) Apple are stumped for leading ideas after th best they could 'upgrade' the 'new' iPhone 5 by increasing the screen size and the camera resolution. So. In two years. Bigger screen phone. Smaller screen iPad. Pointless connector change. Er ...that's it. Not good.
Curse you for scrapping the company, New Apple

I think that most of your complaints should be directed at Mr Jobs (deceased), as he oversaw most (if not all) of the products you dislike.

 

[LagunaSol]

Because it is like, way too confusing to put the plug in with the correct orientation.

Yes, all products should come with unnecessary complexity to prove how intelligent we are.

Apple makes products that are easy to use if you are elderly or have Down's syndrome.

Offensive. And unsurprising.

 

[lentini]

How do you charge wirelessly? Sure, you could go down the Lumia 920 route, but it bulks up the device, and I'm pretty sure Apple won't want to make the device fatter.

Have you seen how thin a wireless charging pad is inside a Lumia?

 

[repoman27]

Have you seen how thin a wireless charging pad is inside a Lumia?

What is good for one particular model of Nokia handset is not necessarily good for an ecosystem of hundreds of millions of devices. Apple may choose to introduce wireless charging capabilities on some of its devices in the future, but that does not obviate the need for a well designed electrical/mechanical interface that can be used across their entire range of mobile devices.

Also, the fact that iOS devices are mostly metal boxes at this point makes wireless charging a bit trickier.

 

[aristotle]

Have you seen how thin a wireless charging pad is inside a Lumia?

Uh huh, well some of us do venture outside of the house to jobs and vacations. Do you expect people to shlep around with a charging pad where ever they go?

If you want wireless charging, just go buy a tesla coil. I guarantee that you will get a real charge out of it.

 

[uknowimright]

Uh huh, well some of us do venture outside of the house to jobs and vacations. Do you expect people to shlep around with a charging pad where ever they go?

If you want wireless charging, just go buy a tesla coil. I guarantee that you will get a real charge out of it.

or you could use the regular charging adapter in those cases

 

[Habakuk]

Lightning to HDMI connector. Outputs 1080p. Expensive as balls

Thanks. Will buy. (Although iPad 4 will only output 720p). Had the Apple A/V Composite Cable (30-pin) before (since iPhone 3G) and the 30-pin/HDMI and was molto contento.

Now I hope that brands like Alesis follow up and bring some lightning audio devices (connectors) with multi orientation operation. (Maybe combined with HDMI):

http://www.alesis.com/iodock

For iPad 1-3 only.

 

[johnmcboston]

Because it is like, way too confusing to put the plug in with the correct orientation.

I'm fine with an orientation-free plug. But why aren't the pins just mirrored on each side? Why does each side have a different layout, requiring a chip in the blasted plug to figure out how to shuffle the wiring before you blow something out. They have to have another use up their sleeve...

 

[repoman27]

Thanks. Will buy. (Although iPad 4 will only output 720p). Had the Apple A/V Composite Cable (30-pin) before (since iPhone 3G) and the 30-pin/HDMI and was molto contento.

This myth needs to die. The Apple Lightning to Digital AV adapter can output 1080p60 video but can only mirror at up to 1600x900. MacRumors member Menneisyys2 did extensive testing which you can find links to in this thread starting around the bottom of page 16.

 

[repoman27]

I'm fine with an orientation-free plug. But why aren't the pins just mirrored on each side? Why does each side have a different layout, requiring a chip in the blasted plug to figure out how to shuffle the wiring before you blow something out. They have to have another use up their sleeve...

Sheesh, didn't you read the whole patent application? Basically, the layout is designed so that the host can determine the orientation of the plug during mating. The signaling pairs are not crossed over in order to maintain better signal integrity when operating at high speeds. There is an ID chip in the accessory which communicates with the host and identifies the capabilities of the accessory so the host can then switch the appropriate signals to the data lines.

While this may seem like overkill, remember that the silicon used by the Lightning interface is currently inexpensive and that cost will diminish to nearly 0 within a couple years thanks to Moore's law. Choosing a design that is less complex physically makes a lot of sense in the long run here.