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European Lawmakers Want to Force All Smartphones to Have Same Charging Port, Apple Defends Lightning
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If the government wants to tell my neighbor he can't bulldoze his house and replace it with an 8-story tower made of extremely flammable materials, I'm fine with them stepping in since it can save my life. If the government wants to tell people they can't drive after drinking too much, I'm fine with that since it can save my life. I don't see how it's the government's business to control how easy it is for me to find power for my own personal, optional electronic device. They really don't need to worry about my electronics. I got this. I'm a big boy and can take care of my own charging needs.
I don't buy the waste argument either. It's not like I keep going to the store, grabbing a random cable, and hope it fits my devices and is long enough for my needs. I have the devices I have and the cables I need for those devices. Currently my Mac has a USB-C cord and two Lightning cables plugged in the back. That meets my needs. No waste. If I still had my old iPad, that would be three lightning cables. No waste. At work I have a place to charge my Lightning devices but not my iPad because I have no need to charge my iPad there. No waste. My backpack has a few charging options just in case I'm not at work or home.
If they really want to tackle the waste problem, they should stop including the cables with the devices and make them optionally available to those who request them. After years of owning electronics, I can't even guess as to how many boxes still have brand new cords sitting in them. I don't need a new cord with every purchase. The other major source of waste is cheap $5 cables that only last a month or two.
I really don't see why the government should be concerned about charging cables. Seems like if they have nothing better to do than that, they should just go home and save the taxpayers some money.
I don't buy the waste argument either. It's not like I keep going to the store, grabbing a random cable, and hope it fits my devices and is long enough for my needs. I have the devices I have and the cables I need for those devices. Currently my Mac has a USB-C cord and two Lightning cables plugged in the back. That meets my needs. No waste. If I still had my old iPad, that would be three lightning cables. No waste. At work I have a place to charge my Lightning devices but not my iPad because I have no need to charge my iPad there. No waste. My backpack has a few charging options just in case I'm not at work or home.
If they really want to tackle the waste problem, they should stop including the cables with the devices and make them optionally available to those who request them. After years of owning electronics, I can't even guess as to how many boxes still have brand new cords sitting in them. I don't need a new cord with every purchase. The other major source of waste is cheap $5 cables that only last a month or two.
I really don't see why the government should be concerned about charging cables. Seems like if they have nothing better to do than that, they should just go home and save the taxpayers some money.
Lightning ports and cables are fragile so a cash cow that Apple won't drop.
On the hand, micro USB is proven reliable. I have 10 year old micro USB cable that works fine to this day. And, it's future proof with a $3.00 micro USB to USB C adapter.
https://www.microcenter.com/product/608173/raspberry-pi-usb-micro-b-to-usb-c-adapter---white
On the hand, micro USB is proven reliable. I have 10 year old micro USB cable that works fine to this day. And, it's future proof with a $3.00 micro USB to USB C adapter.
https://www.microcenter.com/product/608173/raspberry-pi-usb-micro-b-to-usb-c-adapter---white
Apple doesn’t want to give up its Lightning licensing money even though they were first to adopt type c in their computers. Is all about the money.
But each protocol change requires new cables. 20 gig, 40 gig, how much power 50w or 100w, usb 3 or tb 3, etc its really a confusing tangle. And aren’t some incompatible even if they fit? Like if its a TB3 cable, but the chipset on the computer is only usb 3? Is it 3? 3.1? 3.2? 3.2x2?
Do you want to trust this computer? Do you want to trust this computer? Do you want to trust this computer? Do you want to trust this computer?
Charge, stop charging, charge, stop charging,Charge, stop charging, charge, stop charging.
Can’t wait to see the back of it.!!!!
Charge, stop charging, charge, stop charging,Charge, stop charging, charge, stop charging.
Can’t wait to see the back of it.!!!!
Those aged “wasted resources” are going to sit in your shoe cartons whether they stay with lightning or go to usb c...
Good. When you invent something better than USB-C, just ask ask the EU to look at it.
Perhaps they realized the significance of this in retrospect? Either way, forcing all phones to be one connector would make it impossible to sell any of the current iphones without a dongle, which would indeed have an outsided impact on the environment, and for what benefit? Very few people are inconvenienced by the fact that products they did not buy use a different connector than the one their phone uses
That was the idea and everyone did that. Except one manufacturer that ironically promoted the port as the total solution in desktops and their high end tablet, yet sticks with a propreitary connector on their phones and other tablets.
However, the bigger issue are the notebook power bricks. Those need to be included here as well. Simply mandate USB-PD for devices 15W up to 95W using USB-C.
USB-C port/connector becomes loose and mushy in a year but lighting port is firm and tight.
I'm surprised you're the first person to mention this. I plug my iphones multiple times a day and they stay tight and snug. My macbooks, which I only plug in 2-3 times per week, that have USB C (esp the 12" rMBP that only has one port - thanks Apple!) are super loose now and I have tried multiple cables. The port just wears out much faster than lightning.
Could be worse...there is a lawmaker in Vermont submitting a bill requiring that it Be illegal for anyone under age 21 to own or operate a smartphone. Now THAT will be good for the environment!
Then what’s your explanation for the massive turnover in Android devices?
They sell close to 1.2 billion Android phones every year yet the active user base increases by a tiny fraction of that. That’s a LOT of wasted phones. Year after year. Far more serious than this imaginary issue over charging cables.
Although the government should not decide what is the best port for a product, Apple response is a joke.
Bad for the environment?? 😂🤣😂🤣
Apple's double standard is PATHETIC.
When Apple released the Macbook Pro 2016 they did not care about how many dongle, adaptors and cables users needed to buy in order to use the Laptop. Not only that within a week they offer all dongle and adaptors at 50% discount. Apple did not care a bit about all those inconvenienced customers, back then and still did not care about in the following years. They stuck to a failed keyboard design for almost 4 years.
Furthermore, if Apple really cared so much about the environment they will stop making disposable non-upgradable computers with all soldered components.
Bad for the environment?? 😂🤣😂🤣
Apple's double standard is PATHETIC.
When Apple released the Macbook Pro 2016 they did not care about how many dongle, adaptors and cables users needed to buy in order to use the Laptop. Not only that within a week they offer all dongle and adaptors at 50% discount. Apple did not care a bit about all those inconvenienced customers, back then and still did not care about in the following years. They stuck to a failed keyboard design for almost 4 years.
Furthermore, if Apple really cared so much about the environment they will stop making disposable non-upgradable computers with all soldered components.
no, but I’m actually wondering if it is the LAST port to be invented. the Future is wireless charging!
Ive tried them and they suck. They work for a while and then stop.. the genuine Apple ones work well except I lost one. For a company that prides itself with caring for the environment, I suppose I’ll have to throw away all of the thunderbolt 2 adapters (Ethernet, FireWire, DVI, HDMI) (spend over $100 on all of them) and buy new adapters when I upgrade to a revolutionary and magical USB C only machine.
They did...you’re just thinking about the wrong end. How many decade-old boxy black wall warts do you have lying in a drawer, with little round connectors that look somewhat alike but don’t quite fit the gadget you’re trying to plug in? Those were great times...
True enough. And realistically these are the types of things that we do need to think about, as a species in terms of sustainability, if we even think, which I increasingly doubt. Same with EVs, they really need a standard for charging. I'm not suggesting that they can't innovate within that structure. Apple could implement some special features in their USB-C connection, as LONG AS it continued to maintain compatibility with the greater ecosystem. Ditto on EVs - let them innovate as they wish, but within a standard framework so that compatibility is maintained without the need for different equipment or expensive/wasteful adaptors to charge different brands of vehicle.
All devices should come with an RS-232C port (for communications), a Centronics Printer Port (for printing), a DB-9 (for joysticks), and a VGA port (for graphics). And don't forget the three-pronged power outlet.
Seriously, the EU doesn't even have standardized plugs. Maybe they should start with that.
Seriously, the EU doesn't even have standardized plugs. Maybe they should start with that.