EU Warns Apple About Limiting Speeds of Uncertified USB-C Cables for iPhones

[bobthebuilderissus]

TWO mobile charging ports in the entire world is a far cry from “mayhem.”

my charging cord drawer would disagree 🙃
and theres also 3 mobile charging ports in the world, btw (micro USB anyone? no? just cheap verizon phones?)

 

[usagora]

See, this is about control, not just the cable type. When you give the government an inch, they'll take a mile. I'm not surprised at all that they're continuing to overreach even further.

 

[dubiousgif]

Use only USB-IF Certified cables.

 

[Paddle1]

they're rolling out USB C iPhones BECAUSE of the law. designing products take years of work and they had no idea when the law was going to pass 2 years ago.

I don't know about that, Apple has been slowly transitioning to USB-C across all of their devices. They seem to be bringing it to iPhone this year well ahead of the deadline which would've given them until the iPhone 17. They are also implementing it worldwide instead of EU only like sideloading.

Apple could very well be using the EU as a shield for something they already intended to do.

 

[bobthebuilderissus]

When your house burns down, will you blame Apple? Genuine question.

i use cheap apple cables.....
my genuine one broke the first year i had it.....

 

[XXPP]

I really have to give a big thank you to the EU for trying to save us from proprietary cable mayhem. Wish we had similar consumer protection laws in the US.

why doesn't the EU ban the sale of Chinese smartphones with proprietary fast charging systems?

 

[npmacuser5]

Wonder if the EU will prohibit USB-C cables that do not meet the full standards for speed and current draw? That would solve the problem. My bad, the EU would never limit Chinese cheap junk. Like to stick it to Apple and US manufacturing A different story.

 

[sir1963nz]

So the EU will compensate people who have their phones destroyed by cheap cables from China? Will they compensate people who have property destroyed when cheap cables melt and start fires? Complain all you want about MFI certifications but at least it guarantees that the cable will be robust enough to handle the draw from the device.

No, if the users go out and buy the cheapest bit of crap they can find, then its entirely on them.
I guess the alternative is to get Apple to certify products for free.
Vendor lock-in is anti-competitive behaviour and need to be stopped, we also need right to repair laws as well as open data formats so MY data is not held hostage.
Either that is a HUGE push by the rest of the world to head towards open source, with governments putting the money they save into FOSS development in their own countries.

 

[bobthebuilderissus]

See, this is about control, not just the cable type. When you give the government an inch, they'll take a mile. I'm not surprised at all that they're continuing to overreach even further.

so... you're saying that preventing apple from making so only APPLE CORDS will work 100% with iphones is... overreaching? angry twitter user much?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

they're rolling out USB C iPhones BECAUSE of the law. designing products take years of work and they had no idea when the law was going to pass 2 years ago.

what you think Apple can just delete the port and stick a USB-C version overnight? that's hilarious.

look at the joz interview with gruber. you can see his absolute dissatisfaction with a USB-C iPhone

They put USBc in a MB 6-7 (or was it more) years ago. I suspect they've had draft models of iPhone with USBc (and probably Thunderbolt too) for many years now. It's probably been functionally debugged for several years now.

There's simply not as much profit in embracing a standard vs. sticking with a proprietary port. The quest to maximize every little bit of revenue is overriding doing what is best for customers. This is when our system- Capitalism- breaks... when companies get so big, the consumer end of the bargain no longer influences decision-making. Instead, it becomes a game of flexing growing dominance to maximize at the expense of what is best for customers. At that stage, typically, only GOV actions can step in and fix that problem.

Joz's dissatisfaction is the same as apparently yours. Apple makes more money sticking with Lightning. Internally at Apple they probably HATE making this change because there is some revenue at stake. So all employees at Apple probably HATE making this change because their company/boss/bosses boss HATES making this change. Not because it is a lessor port, worse, step backwards, etc... but just because it impacts a revenue stream negatively.

That's how it works. Of course they can't SAY that is the reason, so they come up with all of this other spin that sounds better. That's also how it always goes. You have to recast simple greed with some kind of positive angle to try to fool the public into supporting the greed. Every dominant company that has ever had increasingly dominant control of something always tries to preserve their money-making advantage, even if it is inferior, even if the world has moved on, or- in this case- even if the rest of the major product lines from the same entity have already embraced USBc... and it's apparently just fine where it is being used now.

I have iPad Mini. It's not so different than iPhone Maxi- just a little bigger. It uses USBc. No problems. No wobbly port. No expensive port repairs. No USBc cable wearing out. No house fires. No broken parts. Etc. If anything, the USBc cable has held up much better than any Lightning cable I've ever used in the same way.

Since I use iPad Mini as my phone too (Voip app plus buds), I've ALREADY achieved "one cable to rule them all" with Apple's major product lines. As far as I'm concerned, it's GREAT! I bet I won't be the only one feeling that way once people have iPhones with USBc. And I bet few of those so passionately arguing for lighting and against USBc will show up in threads AFTER Apple rolls out iPhone with USBc ripping into Apple for going with USBc OUTSIDE the EU.

Furthermore, after about 2 or 3 days, I suspect nearly the entirety of this argument will have evaporated and some of the same people passionately arguing against USBc will be evangelizing the greatness of finally, FINALLY achieving "one cable to rule them all" probably tying back to "Apple started it all by putting USBc in that early MB." Again, I pretty much do not see any of these people in threads for the products where Apple has already embraced USBc ripping Apple for going USBc there.

And again, NONE of the posts against USBc... stacking up pro-Lightning rationale... ever include the magic line: Apple is WRONG for using USBc where they are using it. The other 2 "legs" of the major product mix by Apple already are USBc. All of the flaws of USBc offered in threads like this should be flaws there too. All of the pros for Lightning should demand Lightning there too. But apparently, Apple cannot ever be wrong, so USBc works where they offer it now and is stupid where it is not yet THE port.

 

[sir1963nz]

I know at least two people whose official Apple Lightning cables have frayed and produced smoke.

Hell, let’s push for Apple to implement MFi power bricks. Shoddy power bricks are more dangerous than shoddy cables.

In New Zealand we have the Consumer Guarantees Act.
This means that an the store I buy stuff from would be legally liable for the damage their faulty items cause.
If they are shown not to meet NZ electrical Regulations and it burns my house down, they are liable, as well as the massive fines they will cop.
We are entitled to products free from defect and are compliant with all local legislation

 

[arian71]

EU , ban the torch icon on iphone

 

[tripsync]

I don't know about that, Apple has been slowly transitioning to USB-C across all of their devices. They seem to be bringing it to iPhone this year well ahead of the deadline which would've given them until the iPhone 17. They are also implementing it worldwide instead of EU only like sideloading.

Apple could very well be using the EU as a shield for something they already intended to do.

Joz's dissatisfaction is an obvious clue to how Apple is thinking about iPhone's with USB-C https://www.macrumors.com/2022/10/25/greg-joswiak-usb-c-iphone/

When you design products years out, it's far better to be on the safe side than to be on the side where EU possibly decides they need to switch this year, but then they already designed for lightning.

 

[dannyyankou]

Why? they’ve been treating the phones different for years

Well, they would have to come up with a pretty good excuse if they were to attempt it

 

[bobthebuilderissus]

Remember that the next time you complain about how much more expensive things are in Europe than the US.

ah, yes
another AMERrIcaNS aRe wAy BEttTeR ThanN ThE rEst oF tHe wOrLd yeEeEAaAaHHHhhh! person....
also 90% of the cheap stuff you find in america...
wasn't made in america 🤯

No, if the users go out and buy the cheapest bit of crap they can find, then its entirely on them.
I guess the alternative is to get Apple to certify products for free.
Vendor lock-in is anti-competitive behaviour and need to be stopped, we also need right to repair laws as well as open data formats so MY data is not held hostage.
Either that is a HUGE push by the rest of the world to head towards open source, with governments putting the money they save into FOSS development in their own countries.

sometimes i feel like this might all be a facade to make the eu pretend like they're doing something for right to repair, and i just hope its not

 

[sir1963nz]

Wonder if the EU will prohibit USB-C cables that do not meet the full standards for speed and current draw? That would solve the problem. My bad, the EU would never limit Chinese cheap junk. Like to stick it to Apple and US manufacturing A different story.

You want to sell into other countries, you obey their laws and regulations.
US stuff sold into the rest of the world will be made with metric nuts and bolts, be labeled in metric weights and measures.
The USA is 4% of the worlds population, you do not get to dictate to the rest of us, nor are we here for your benefit.
Many countries who are not the USA have governments that are real democracies and have elections by the PEOPLE, for the PEOPLE.

 

[GizmoDVD]

I really have to give a big thank you to the EU for trying to save us from proprietary cable mayhem. Wish we had similar consumer protection laws in the US.

yes, it’s amazing that hundreds of millions of lightening cables become trash.

 

[TheDauterive]

With ****** $2 cables floating around that could potentially cause harm to the users, I don't see anything wrong with a limitation if the device does not have a way to verify it is capable of handling the power.

We are close to more then tripling the amount of power running through these cables from what the original USB was capable off.

Agreed! Cables are VERY dangerous, that's why I use monster cables for everything that I own. You can't trust your HDMI ports to some shoddy cable from monoprice that may conform to spec but hasn't been marked up 1000%!

 

[TheDauterive]

So the EU will compensate people who have their phones destroyed by cheap cables from China? Will they compensate people who have property destroyed when cheap cables melt and start fires? Complain all you want about MFI certifications but at least it guarantees that the cable will be robust enough to handle the draw from the device.

I honestly wouldn't buy anything manufactured in China. Except for, ya know, all my Apple products. 🙄

 

[mrat93]

Probably the same lawyers that do this:

Apple hit with lawsuit claiming M1 MacBook screens are 'defective' | AppleInsider

Apple has been hit with a class action lawsuit claiming that M1 MacBook models ship with a concealed defect causing their screens to become easily cracked.

appleinsider.com

That’s completely different.

There have been many recalls from Apple which would have never occurred had there not been a class action lawsuit against them. None of those recalls involve using sketchy third party products.

 

[bobthebuilderissus]

With ****** $2 cables floating around that could potentially cause harm to the users, I don't see anything wrong with a limitation if the device does not have a way to verify it is capable of handling the power.

We are close to more then tripling the amount of power running through these cables from what the original USB was capable off.

mk, ik this isn't what you meant but
yeah, thats why we're on usb 3.0

 

[Freida]

Well, I look at it differently. Maybe boomers caused this and maybe not but the reality is - if you want to be successful and make it in life then you have to work very hard to get there. That was my motto and it got me where I am now. Comfortable life with fair security due to diversification etc.
I was brought up in a way that nothing is for free and everything you have to work for. If people complain now because they don't have this or that its often related to their lack of motivation and persistence to change things in their life. Most people want to be comfortable but thats the opposite of success. In order to be successful you often need to be ok with being not comfortable and be ok to try things and not be afraid to fail. Some people don't want change, they just want to complain because it validates them.

So, you may look at things that boomers caused stuff and perhaps they did but I look at it in a way that I'm in charge of my life to change and improve my circumstances. No one else.
As for the topic - EU may be criticised for a lot of things and is definitely not perfect but they do tons of great things for us overall which I realised very quickly when I moved to Canada. Sometimes I feel that things in Canada are backwards and would love to send the politicians to Europe to see how things can be improved.

(but that would be for a long conversation)

Boomers rent seek, and voted for laws that kept their life very comfortable throughout their lifetime at the expense of future generations (i.e., us). Now that they are all retired, they advocate for more social programs, which they didn’t pay into (their social security money was spent elsewhere by them) and less on programs that benefit the younger generations, such as education, housing, consumer protection, etc. They also voted for tax laws and loopholes that benefited them throughout their lifetime, and kicked the deficit and inflation buckets down the line. They spent all the resources in their generation and 5 generations down, which means we started out not only with 0 resources, but also titanic debts. Yet at the same time, they hold equities that future generations must rent or buy from them, which has appreciated in value exponentially. Basically, we are enslaved to them at birth economically, and they will rent seek to keep things as is.

BTW, this is not just for America, same in Canada, Japan, China, everywhere with a developed economy.

 

[tripsync]

They put USBc in a MB 6-7 (or was it more) years ago.

Don't see the relevancy.

I suspect they've had draft models of iPhone with USBc (and probably Thunderbolt too) for many years now. It's probably been functionally debugged for several years now.

Random guess.

There's simply not as much profit in embracing a standard vs. sticking with a proprietary port.

The quest to maximize every little bit of revenue is overriding doing what is best for customers.

Nope. There's actually plenty of profit for Apple to switch to USB-C considering most people already have bucketloads of lightning and suddenly they need to replace all of their lightning cables and accessories with new USB-C variants. And plenty stick with the Apple brand, despite costing much more than third party.

Joz's dissatisfaction is the same as apparently yours. Apple makes more money sticking with Lightning.

Nope.

Internally at Apple they probably HATE making this change because there is some revenue at stake.

Nope.

That's how it works.

Nope.

I have iPad Mini.

Irrelevant.

Since I use iPad Mini as my phone too (Voip app plus buds), I've ALREADY achieved "one cable to rule them all" with Apple's major product lines. As far as I'm concerned, it's GREAT! I bet I won't be the only one feeling that way once people have iPhones with USBc. And I bet few of those so passionately arguing for lighting and against USBc will show up in threads AFTER Apple rolls out iPhone with USBc ripping into Apple for going with USBc OUTSIDE the EU.

Again, irrelevant + billions of lightning cables out there and they all work the same.

Meanwhile some USB-C cables have 60W capability, some have 100W capability. So who knows if the USB-C cable you bought for the iPhone will charge your Macbook at 96W. What a terrible experience that would be that you thought that "one cable to rule them all" suddenly ruined your day.

Furthermore, after about 2 or 3 days, I suspect nearly the entirety of this argument will have evaporated and some of the same people arguing against USBc will be evangelizing the greatness of finally, FINALLY achieved "one cable to rule them all."

Random guess is random. Unfortunately we will never know what Apple had in mind if they were left to control the ports. Perhaps they would have finally gone portless in 2025, pushing wireless charging much more which would make cable charging completely irrelevant as Qi will be everywhere much earlier.

 

[freedomlinux]

We'll be stuck with this connector for a long time, and innovation will be stifled because of it.

Also who plugs-in their iPhone anymore? I sure don't.

OK. You don't use the cable so you'll be fine. Neat.

But which one is it? Customers will be harmed by lack of improvements on the cable, or Customers don't need a cable anyway?

 

[mrat93]

I am a computer technician who has seen numerous devices break because of cheap charging cables.

Cheap ≠ bad.

Also, as I mentioned before, a proprietary connector doesn’t prevent people from using crappy, unsafe cables.