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Well, there’s the whole “trashing of the billions of Lightning cables” over time, thing. A lot of folks would be able to just drop them off at the local Apple Store to be recycled, but there’s a LARGE number of people that don’t have that option, don’t have any other convenient eWaste option OR that just don’t want to recycle that will just toss them in the trash. If the governmental goal is really “less eWaste” then perhaps a government sponsored program of education on how to properly handle those old cables in the transition would be good. If it’s more about “we literally are unable to do ANYTHING else right now, but need to feel important” and not about the environment, then trash away!

The only other thing is that I’m sure (and it’s already been experienced on the Chromebook and other USB-C devices) that people will fry their iPhones by connecting them to an “inexpensive” charger capable of up to, say, 30W, using an “inexpensive” cable that doesn’t properly report voltage capabilities. Then again though, that’s more of a good argument that “people will do the bad things in a surprisingly large number” than anything else :)

Wait, I guess there’s the hardiness of lightning, too. BUT, then again, I haven’t seen anything that indicates which fares worse under torque, so in my mind, that one still may be a toss up.
Anecdotally, I've seen many many many lightning cables fried, and only 2 USB-C cables, and on whole I'd say we use more USB-C than lightning. Based on personal experience I'm not sure what you mean by the hardiness of lightning.
 
If Apple wasn't so anti-consumer with their chargers there would be no need for such legislation.
 
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Yeah let’s let some third world crap country decide what’s best for everyone.
The EU passed such regulations. Brazil is playing catch-up.
I don’t know how to feel about the mandates, but I absolutely would love a USB C iPhone. Traveling now and it feels rediculous needing to bring 3 different cables to charge my ipad pro, apple watch, and iphone despite them all being from the same company.
If they'd add a sunset clause then I believe the controversy would subside.
 
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No one is just going to throw out Lightning cables just because their new phone uses USB-C.

Some things like AirPods still require them. If you keep your phone as a backup you will keep them with it. If you sell your phone you will give them to the buyer.
Sure, I don’t dispute that. But, someone with just the phone (never really got into the whole Apple ecosystem thing) will not be keeping the lightning cable as there will be no reason for it. Out of the billions that own the device, even 4% of that is worth noting.
 
Anecdotally, I've seen many many many lightning cables fried, and only 2 USB-C cables, and on whole I'd say we use more USB-C than lightning. Based on personal experience I'm not sure what you mean by the hardiness of lightning.
That’s the thing, though, you WANT to see the cable fried. If the charger is doing something it shouldn’t do or if it’s not even the charger if the power has an odd spike, you want SOMETHING before the iPhone to go up in smoke. If it’s not the breaker and not the outlet and not the charger then better the cable than the phone.
 
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Are there any good arguments against putting USB-C on iPhones? It could make them thicker maybe? Other than that are there any good reasons this wouldn't be better? I'd like to move to an all USB-C ecosystem but I'm willing to hear the other side. 🤷‍♂️
The USB-C has a delicate tab inside that goes in the cable connection. Sort of the opposite of the lightening port. The only functional reason left for apple to not want the USB-C I can think of is a risk of increased device port damage. Does anyone have any studies that show the rate of USB-C port failure on the phones that currently use it?
 
Sure, I don’t dispute that. But, someone with just the phone (never really got into the whole Apple ecosystem thing) will not be keeping the lightning cable as there will be no reason for it. Out of the billions that own the device, even 4% of that is worth noting.
The cable will go wherever the phone goes.
 
This kind of forced conformity is a universal government fail! We'd still be using 3" adapters and loading data off cassette tapes, if it was up to these idiots in power. Innovation stops when the free market is pointlessly regulated!

vintage-adapters.jpg
 
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The cable will go wherever the phone goes.
Sure, that would be an environmentalists dream, that it would be recycled/reused in some way. Of course, if the phone just broke and they’re buying a new phone with USB-C maybe it gets recycled, maybe the cables get thrown in the trash with the broken phone. Considering how many people are truly focused on recycling, the likelihood of a bunch of cables going to the trash is high… those millions of phones are all going to break eventually, even if it IS handed down.
 
It's anti-consumer because it doesn't have wide interoperability which is done on purpose. Apple wants to ring out every single penny they can from consumers.
Ah! Well, considering Lightning was introduced in 2012 and the first USB-C smartphone came out in 2015, yes, you are correct that Apple purposefully chose Lightning over USB-C. Mainly, because USB-C didn’t exist yet. :)
 
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Well let’s hope the world sets a standard for wireless charging also, else we’ll be in the same boat again a few years down track.
I’m going to have to find the reference, but I think Apple’s working with Qi on this. I believe the “magnetic ring” (which will continue to be named MagSafe on Apple devices) is set to be implemented in a future iteration of the standard as it allows for faster charging by forcing a tighter coil alignment. Which is kinda how things should be done :)
 
Lol how long is this USB-C gov mandated thing going to be by law? Like if it is mandated all tech companies etc move to this standard, will it be the required standard for 5 years? 10 years? Forever, will tech be able to move away from USB-C if something better is discovered?
 
while this is a good thing temporarily, what happens when USB-D comes out? or whatever the next best thing is and by law, they will have to continue to use something inferior?
 
Forcing Apple .... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA
Yeah they can, by increasing taxes on Apple products and allowing its competitors like Android more wiggle room in their market

HAHAHAHAHAHANAHAHAHAHHA


You Apple shareholders here really don’t get it.
(if you are NOT an Apple shareholder and are simply defending and excusing Apple on everything for free that‘s just downright pathetic)



EU, Japan, Australia, and more countries are mounting pressure on many of Apples very obvious monopolistic schemes.


the only ones this is not obvious to are Apple shareholders.

Here is something to laugh at.



maybe Apple should pullout of Brazil and really teach Brazil a lesson yeah?

a poster here moronically thought this was a good idea more or less for the UK.



I really, really hope Apple would follow the advise of their blind followers and do this.


Android competitors would be biting at the chomps to fill up the hole in the market,
Apple would lose $billions in sales …not just iPhones but also the accompanying accessories, services and software and an impact on their “ecosystems”

Greedy usueless wealthy Apple shareholders, WHICH I DON‘T GIVE TO FLYING Fs ABOUT, would go ballistic at the colossal sales loss and hit on their stocks would have Apple’s corporate exec’s heads roll.
 
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while this is a good thing temporarily, what happens when USB-D comes out? or whatever the next best thing is and by law, they will have to continue to use something inferior?
USB-C has already been proven robust enough to handle increasingly fast data transfers, better display support, and faster charging rates so there is no reason to think it can't accommodate the near future.

But since this is not about USB-C specifically, but rather a global standard, the industry would be able to adopt a new plug technology as the new standard.
 
Too little too late, but still we can appreciate the effort.
No it’s not.

Heaps of countries can end Apple’s multi trillion dollar monopolistic schemes.

- Taxes
- Anti-trust measures
- consumer watch dogs and organizations
- special regulatory bodies
- not recognize or officiate patent protections
- even BAN sales of next gen iPhones - THIS is very critical - because it gives Apple’s Android competitors a massive edge and they would be more than happy to fill in the hole in the market.


no such thing as to little to late when dealing with Monopolies, duopolies and cartels.


ENDING them is just the start.
 
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I go back and forth on this. On the one hand, I think it’s a good thing to use tech that is common because it means interoperability and continuity. I love USB-C on the iPad models we have it on. On the other, it means removing freedom to choose and to develop. How long did it take before we got USB-C? Even mini and micro were just smaller versions of A. And I don’t think it would have come about if not for lightning 2 years earlier. Apple’s 30 pin was replaced relatively quickly because Apple was coming up with new things; innovating. USB was the same old thing for a long time. And I fear if we don’t allow for this freedom, USB-C will stagnate and limit companies from being able to grow and develop new technology.
 
Personally I’d like to see all these legislations eventually include retirement of USB 2.0/3.0 B, 2.0/3.0 Mini B, 2.0/3.0 Micro B, for all new devices if at all possible. And eventually USB A. Someone can explain to me why all these other variants would still be needed for new devices in the future.
They are cheaper to implement, and more than sufficient for many use cases. Have you noticed that USB sticks are always cheaper with USB-A than USB-C? That's why.
 
If USB-C is not sufficient to implement some kind of new tech then what? All companies have to agree to another common standard first before that tech can be brought to market?
That's not the problem in this case though. In this case, Apple are dragging their feet on an old, slow, outdated tech, simply because it is more profitable because they can charge high prices, and royalties, for cables. The users are sick of it, not only because they are sick of being reamed for overpriced, flimsy, proprietary cables; but because the data transfer speeds are so ridiculously slow, especially as Apple ramp up the video capabilities. The users, being, we-the-people. We-the-people choose our representatives in government, to create laws for the good of all, as in, the good of us, we-the-people. Contrary to popular belief, corporations don't have a God given right to do whatever they want, nope, they have to follow the laws of the land if they want to do business. The laws are, in effect, created by we-the-people. Thus why Apple is facing all these anti-trust cases all over the world. We-the-people are sick of Apple being Apple-the-tyrant, and want to kick them back into Apple-the-awesome. For further details, see my signature.
 
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