Apple's Reversible USB-Lightning Cable Unlikely for iPhone 6, but New Adapter Possible

[Lunfai]

How many times do you plug/unplug your lighting-cable into a USB port?

Mine usually stays connected to the power adapter.

~More like, please redesign the lightning cable so that the wear and tear of the cable is improved

 

[swarmster]

According to Moca.co, the manufacturing partner has sent samples of the Lightning cable with reversible USB connector to Apple for approval, but Apple has yet to move forward with manufacturing orders.

Or maybe that manufacturing partner lost the job for violating Apple's NDAs and one of the other millions of cable manufacturers got the order?

 

[SchneiderMan]

If it's reversible, why is the USB logo displayed on one side only?

 

[doelcm82]

How many times do you plug/unplug your lighting-cable into a USB port?

Mine usually stays connected to the power adapter.

More than you.

 

[doelcm82]

Who gives a sh|t! It's a cable. So now, just like health apps and health earbuds, we are going to have 1000 USB cables to choose from? I'll wait until Apple decides to change. I'm of high enough IQ that I can easily insert my USB cable into my MBP. If and when Apple adds the reversible cable with its products, I'll use it. Not going out and spending even $1 on a cable I don't need.

Neither am I. I bought a few third-party MFi cables to supplement the lower-quality cables that Apple has been supplying recently, so I don't see myself spending money on new cables from Apple anytime soon.

On the other hand, if Apple starts shipping reversible cables with its devices soon or at some time in the future, I won't get angry about it. I have a high enough IQ to know that making something more convenient (even if it wasn't particularly inconvenient before) is still improvement, and not something to rant about.

 

[HiRez]

I never understood why the ****** USB standardisation organisation didn't design the plugs reversible in the first place.

I know, right? You'd think that would just be table stakes nowadays. In the history of connectors, the thing people tend to be annoyed the most by is the thing not being reversible and difficult to plug in. Either they

1. Didn't think of it.
or
2. Found it too technically challenging.

Either answer should be embarrassing. Apple botched the same thing on the 30-pin and FireWire, but at least they got that right on the new Lightning cable. It's insane that anyone would even think of producing a non-reversible cable/port in 2014.

 

[69650]

It would be useful if they were able to combine the iPhone and iPad power adaptors into one product so that I didn't have to carry both adaptors everywhere.

 

[jmh600cbr]

Why is the hole not in the middle of the adapter? Never understood that.

 

[Moto G]

What an odd video - VERY mismatched music; it's like watching a silent movie at 1/2 speed, where the author has tried to get around the licencing issues of using "The Entertainer" by having an unconfident child play a near-enough-so-you-can-get-the-idea version of the tune, and they managed to get colour film... (and, oddly, USB) back in the 1920s. It's also a remarkable feat to have published HD back then... this is all a little anachronistic

Must be the choice of a far eastern editor

 

[japanime]

Moca.co is planning to offer its own versions of the cable and adapter from its MFi-licensed manufacturing partners, and is currently taking pre-orders with plans of October delivery if it can obtain a sufficient number of pre-orders to initiate production.

So, Moca.co is trying to sell its own cable? No wonder they are claiming Apple's isn't ready to ship! "Buy our cable, since you won't be able to get one from Apple." Hah!

 

[goobot]

Does anybody else think it's stupid to not have the USB symbol on both sides of the USB end of the cable? I already have a bunch of regular lightning cables. With this cable as-is, I'd have to check the inside of the connector to see if it's reversible just to be sure. In that time, I might as well just put it in, USB symbol up.

I would think they would just put nothing on both sides like the lightning end, but just having it on one side is defiantly the worst thing to do.

 

[Moto G]

I would think they would just put nothing on both sides like the lightning end, but just having it on one side is defiantly the worst thing to do.

Defiantly... (no offence, genuinely)

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I wonder how much they'll charge...

 

[subjonas]

73% of focus group participants found the combination of Thunderbolt and Lightning to be very, very, frightening.

Galileo Figaro
Magnifico!!!

 

[NewbieCanada]

What's annoying is that USB connectors could have been reversible right from the start, had someone thought of it. But no one did. And they weren't. All these years.

And of course the micro and mini connectors aren't either.

 

[charlituna]

Only 2 watts shy of being able to also replace the larger iPad/iPad air chargers. Oh well, we can't have it all.

Unless they are moving to have a single charger for all devices.

Seems to me that the reversible usb would need ports designed for it so until such a port is standard on computers its unlikely. Unless they are going to release some kind of adapter, which seems silly. At the least they would want to release computers with the correct port so why release this update of the retina mbp so recently.

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When will there be a Thunderbolt to Lighting cable?

Thunderbolt to Lightning?

 

[dav1dd]

Less silly music and more ugly iPhone 6 mockups, please.

 

[charlituna]

Again... Pushed to 2015.

oh my gosh, you figured it out. This is actually the cable for the real Apple TV Set. That's why it can't come out until next year, when the TV does

 

[troop231]

Seems to me that the reversible usb would need ports designed for it so until such a port is standard on computers its unlikely. Unless they are going to release some kind of adapter, which seems silly.

I'm still confused how they're managing to swap the pinout of the USB cable when the orientation is changed without using a chip.

 

[Jedi26]

I would like to see a multi port charger actually made by Apple. So I can charge my iPad and my iPhone at the same time from the one charger. All the cheap Asian ones have horrible bright blue or green LED's the light up the room at night, apart from being dangerous because they are not made to electrical safety standards (at least in Australia), the lights keep me awake

 

[69Mustang]

Seems to me that the reversible usb would need ports designed for it so until such a port is standard on computers its unlikely. Unless they are going to release some kind of adapter, which seems silly. At the least they would want to release computers with the correct port so why release this update of the retina mbp so recently.

The reversible USB connectors fit all current USB female receptacles. No need to design a new port. You can pick up one of the current ones already on the market for as little as $4.99 at Staples or Office Depot. They've been out for quite a while now.

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I'm still confused how they're managing to swap the pinout of the USB cable when the orientation is changed without using a chip.

Image

Could the pinout be reversed on the top side? 4-3-2-1. That's assuming both sides have pinout connectors. Just guessing, not familiar with the internals. Maybe someone could go to a Staples or Office Depot, buy one and crack it open. They're pretty cheap.

 

[landroverz7]

I would like to see a multi port charger actually made by Apple. So I can charge my iPad and my iPhone at the same time from the one charger. All the cheap Asian ones have horrible bright blue or green LED's the light up the room at night, apart from being dangerous because they are not made to electrical safety standards (at least in Australia), the lights keep me awake

There are now many dual chargers on the market with 2.1A for each port from Apple certified partners like Belkin, Kensington etc. While they cost a lot more than the Chinese ones they are worth it, and of course they have no lights or humming sounds. Btw Apple is never going to make a dual port charger they prefer you to buy 2 chargers from them instead

 

[Skoal]

All I saw in that video was the guy pulling the usb connector out by the cord!



And people wonder why their Apple made sync cables are breaking all the time. QUIT pulling them out by the cord! Actually this goes for any cord or any kind!

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Does anybody else think it's stupid to not have the USB symbol on both sides of the USB end of the cable? I already have a bunch of regular lightning cables. With this cable as-is, I'd have to check the inside of the connector to see if it's reversible just to be sure. In that time, I might as well just put it in, USB symbol up.

There truly is no pleasing some people!

 

[doelcm82]

All I saw in that video was the guy pulling the usb connector out by the cord!



And people wonder why their Apple made sync cables are breaking all the time. QUIT pulling them out by the cord! Actually this goes for any cord or any kind!

What we wonder is why Apple-made sync cables are breaking all the time and third-party MFi cables are not.

 

[troop231]

All I saw in that video was the guy pulling the usb connector out by the cord!



And people wonder why their Apple made sync cables are breaking all the time. QUIT pulling them out by the cord! Actually this goes for any cord or any kind!

Yup! Can't count how many times I see people unplug a household item (vacuum, etc.) by yanking on the cord 10 + feet away.

 

[Skoal]

What we wonder is why Apple-made sync cables are breaking all the time and third-party MFi cables are not.

I've never had an Apple cable break and I don't remove them by the cord. Coincidence?