Gurman: Apple to Release USB-C AirPods Pro Case, Likely Alongside iPhone 15 Launch

[cateye]

My point is that you can have more than one standard and lighting, and USBC can both be considered standards. I have no issue with lighting and, I also have no issue with USBC.

It was a standard for Apple devices, I'll concede that point. And therein lies the problem.

Apple is a minority player in every market it occupies, save for perhaps the iPhone in certain jurisdictions. That makes it enforcing an arbitrary "standard" to the contrary of the marketplace as a whole a problem of Apple's own creation. They could've either adopted a broader standard on more aggressive schedule (i.e. still USB-C, but much sooner), or pushed to make Lightning a market-wide standard (at its introduction, bypassing the USB-C workgroup and cutting off the rise of miserable connectors like Micro-USB). They did neither, dragging their feet to hoover up MFI profits, so the EU (rightly or wrongly... you and others might be surprised to hear I'm not generally a huge fan of that sort of market interference) made the decision for them.

My problem with Apple will always be that Apple looks out for Apple first and Apple only. Profit and control obsessed to the detriment of both their customers and the success of good ideas like, perhaps, Lightning. We have no idea how Lightning could have evolved as the one connector to rule all because Apple put its licensing profits ahead of improving the standard. Declaring yourself life of the party and inviting no one else is psychotic and Apple does this constantly.

 

[notabadname]

Do you believe I'm lying? Feel free to offer contrary evidence, or, if you feel I'm purposefully trolling, report my post.

No, I believe you are wrong. There is a difference. I supplied the contrary evidence and examples in my post regarding a “standard” and of one that was also completely proprietary for a decade with Tesla. You are the one offering your position or belief as a “fact”.

here is a reference to the “standard” . . . there are various standards. The typical three types are, micro-USB for Android devices, Lightning for Apple devices, and the latest USB Type-C

or here as examples of the “standard” “While USB-C will eventually replace Lightning as Apple's charging standard, the Lightning cable isn't going anywhere in the immediate future.”

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Praise be to EU regulators for making this happen 🇪🇺

 

[jsalda]

As much as I've appreciated Lightning over the years, I'm ready for USB-C all around. Tired of having 3 different cables by my bedside (in addition to USB micro).

 

[tripsync]

They did neither, dragging their feet to hoover up MFI profits,

MFI profits are peanuts. How many third party MFI cables/accessories out there? 2 billion (that's being generous)? Lightning was introduced in 2012. Apple earns...$1 each third party MFi product?

$2 billion across 11 years = $181 million per year.
Apple's net profit in a year: $99.8 BILLION.

$181 million/$99.8 billion = 0.1% per year on average.

Sorry but Apple isn't spending their resources trying to hang on to 0.1% profit.

In fact, it would have been more profitable to switch to USB-C earlier because Apple knows customers are suckers for the Apple brand cables. And Apple can refresh cables (like going from USB3 -> USB4) which would be *more* profitable than hanging onto lightning. Now that they've practically missed the USB3 generation, they've missed out on hundreds of millions of profit. Meanwhile, they have yet to change the lightning cable since inception so there was never a "refresh" cycle for lightning cables.

This whole notion that Apple is keeping lightning for direct cable profits is extremely stupid to me.

 

[cateye]

Apple knows customers are suckers for the Apple brand cables.

You and I may disagree on Apple's MFI motivations but this... this sentence sums up the entire saga over Lightning, USB-C, the EU, and Apple neatly and perfectly.

 

[CarAnalogy]

USB-C wasn't ready by the time they were designing the iPhone 4.

My point is that USB-C has been ready for a long time and they are still sticking with an outdated connector. It’s the same scenario. They should have just stayed on 30-pin until USB-C and changed once instead of twice.

Not like Apple has any problem adding or removing whatever connections they feel like whenever they want to regardless of whether anyone thinks they should.

 

[tripsync]

You and I may disagree on Apple's MFI motivations but this... this sentence sums up the entire saga over Lightning, USB-C, the EU, and Apple neatly and perfectly.

Then by that logic, it would have been more profitable for Apple to switch to USB-C earlier which they did not do.

 

[cateye]

No, I believe you are wrong. There is a difference. I supplied the contrary evidence and examples in my post regarding a “standard” and of one that was also completely proprietary for a decade with Tesla. You are the one offering your position or belief as a “fact”.

here is a reference to the “standard” . . . there are various standards. The typical three types are, micro-USB for Android devices, Lightning for Apple devices, and the latest USB Type-C

or here as examples of the “standard” “While USB-C will eventually replace Lightning as Apple's charging standard, the Lightning cable isn't going anywhere in the immediate future.”

Question for you.

Apple makes and sells a lot of devices that are Space Gray in color. Macs, iPhones, iPads. Do you believe that space gray is a "standard" for consumer electronics case color?

Likewise, all AirPods (other than the Max) are white and plastic. Is white plastic the "standard" for wireless earbuds?

The word "standard" has meaning. Standards bodies define what standards are, not you, not I, although ironically, look what company is listed first as having sat on the promoter workgroup that defined the USB-C standard? Apple helped create USB-C, and did so knowing full well they would replace Lightning with it. Yet they dragged out the process out of desire to maintain control.

Apple maintaining proprietary control over Lightning as an Apple-only connector does not make it a standard, it makes it an obstacle to standardization and that's problem.

 

[CarAnalogy]

You missed the point; in that ten years, there have been 3 or 4 "standards".

Please list the other standards for phone connectors. Apple had 30 pin then Lightning. Android had micro-USB then USB-C. One transition each.

There is no other standard on the horizon. There were no standards for smartphones before or in between.

Now Apple is about to do another transition.

So that’s two switches for Apple and one for Android. No one argues that they didn’t need replacing but USB-C is the clear standard, even for most Apple products.

Ergo Apple is the one creating the cable waste and unnecessary transitions.

 

[cateye]

Then by that logic, it would have been more profitable for Apple to switch to USB-C earlier which they did not do.

If I allow you this, then, the only motivation for Apple clinging to Lightning as long as it did was even worse than mere profiteering: Control and ecosystem lock-in, and they were even willing to eschew profits to maintain it. It makes the EU's case for it, really.

Again: Apple's hubris about being different and special and how that somehow affords it the right to exert extraordinary control over how users interact with its products is its worst quality. If it doesn't like the spotlight meddling governmental bodies like the EU are casting upon it, and the heavy-handed enforcement actions that result, a come-to-Jesus is probably in order within Apple's C-suite to get over this constant attitude of exceptionalism.

EDIT: Grammar

 

[CarAnalogy]

Why was Lighting a mistake? At the time it was a massive improvement over the old 30-pin. Remember that? The USB alternatives, mini and micro both sucked big time. USB-C was still 2 years in the future and it was not possible to go with it, standard or not. 😆

Hard to say what could have happened but Apple was part of the team that created USB-C and if they had put their full weight behind that without thought of a proprietary connector, they could have done better. Even if it was an early version they could have at least made the port physically compatible.

Those two years have cost us a decade of incompatibility. If you look at tech history you see countless examples of short term solutions causing long term problems. This is one of them.

 

[tripsync]

They should have just stayed on 30-pin until USB-C and changed once instead of twice.

This has so many implications for Apple's most important products.
- Lightning is, arguably, a driver of iPhone 4 sales with the feature of being able to plug in either side
- 30 pin actually didn't provide enough power to the iPad 3. I've built apps for the iPad 3 to run as a kiosk and quite often the iPad 3 would shut off on its own despite being connected to a 10W charger. Delaying iPad adoption for USB-C by another 2 years means the iPad 4 and iPad Air wouldn't sustain being used as kiosks (either that or you had to lower max brightness/throttle the chip)
- Apple Pencil 1 would have never existed and we would have waited an extra 3 years before Apple introduces the Pencil

and so on.

EDIT: iPhone 5, not iPhone 4

 

[spazzcat]

Please list the other standards for phone connectors. Apple had 30 pin then Lightning. Android had micro-USB then USB-C. One transition each.

There is no other standard on the horizon. There were no standards for smartphones before or in between.

Now Apple is about to do another transition.

So that’s two switches for Apple and one for Android. No one argues that they didn’t need replacing but USB-C is the clear standard, even for most Apple products.

Ergo Apple is the one creating the cable waste and unnecessary transitions.

Apple has had one in the last ten years; other phones have seen micro USB, mini USB, micro USB super speed, and USB-C.

 

[mansplains]

For all the guys saying they use the MagSafe charging exclusively, isn't that damaging the battery quicker than a normal cable? Might be a small percentage of difference, but I'm pretty sure I've read induction charging will diminish the battery life a little quicker than just using a cable...

For me the USB-C is a welcome change, but lightning was also fine for me...

Yes. Wired is still the best in terms of efficient and battery health. I never use wireless charging.

Doesn’t make a difference to be fair you wouldn’t even notice anything

Gonna have to agree with Kylo83 here. I'm still rocking 1st gen AirPods Pro I preordered, almost exclusively charged on MagSafe. Nearly four years later, with almost daily use with ANC, the battery is stellar. Three weeks ago I went through extended LoTR again and battery made it through Two Towers fine. Given the 4.5hr battery advertised in 2019, I'd say wireless or wired doesn't particularly matter on these devices.

 

[tripsync]

If I allow you this, then, the only motivation for Apple clinging to Lightning as long as it did was even worse than mere profiteering: Control and ecosystem lock-in, and they were even willing to eschew profits to maintain it. It makes the EU's case for it, really.

Again: Apple's hubris about being different and special and how that somehow affords it the right to exert extraordinary control over how users interact with its products is its worst quality. If it doesn't like the spotlight meddling governmental bodies like the EU are casting upon it, and the heavy-handed enforcement actions that result, a come-to-Jesus is probably in order within Apple's C-suite to get over this constant attitude of exceptionalism.

EDIT: Grammar

Sure ecosystem lock-in would be a valid reason. All I'm saying is that direct third party MFi profits is a ridiculous reason that, IMO, has no merit.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

This has so many implications for Apple's most important products.
- Lightning is, arguably, a driver of iPhone 4 sales with the feature of being able to plug in either side
- 30 pin actually didn't provide enough power to the iPad 3. I've built apps for the iPad 3 to run as a kiosk and quite often the iPad 3 would shut off on its own despite being connected to a 10W charger. Delaying iPad adoption for USB-C by another 2 years means the iPad 4 and iPad Air wouldn't sustain being used as kiosks (either that or you had to lower max brightness/throttle the chip)
- Apple Pencil 1 would have never existed and we would have waited an extra 3 years before Apple introduces the Pencil

and so on.

iPhone 5 was the first with lightning iirc

 

[tripsync]

iPhone 5 was the first with lightning iirc

sorry i misspoke, 5

 

[FreakinEurekan]

For all the guys saying they use the MagSafe charging exclusively, isn't that damaging the battery quicker than a normal cable? Might be a small percentage of difference, but I'm pretty sure I've read induction charging will diminish the battery life a little quicker than just using a cable...

For me the USB-C is a welcome change, but lightning was also fine for me...

Using a battery damages it. Not using it damages it even more. Based on my history from AirPods 1 & AirPods Pro 1st gen, the battery in the case lasts FAR beyond what the batteries in the actual AirPods do, so I don't worry about it.

That said, I do tend to use Lightning on my AirPods Pro 1st gen, because they are in a 3rd party case (to give me a carabiner clip) and that makes it tricky to use with MagSafe.

 

[Lakersfan74]

They should charge $99 for it because a lot of people will buy it day one even though their lightning case works just fine

 

[B4U]

I believe you mean apples decision to implement proprietary charging created A lot of e waste.

Remind me again please.
When did Lightning connector come out and when did USB C come out?
(2012 vs 2014)
Lightning solved the directional problem of the micro USB connector before the USB C connector come out.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

They should charge $99 for it because a lot of people will buy it day one even though their lightning case works just fine

Wouldn't be legal in the EU in 2024, they can't charge for it as an optional extra

 

[Tagbert]

Hard to say what could have happened but Apple was part of the team that created USB-C and if they had put their full weight behind that without thought of a proprietary connector, they could have done better. Even if it was an early version they could have at least made the port physically compatible.

Those two years have cost us a decade of incompatibility. If you look at tech history you see countless examples of short term solutions causing long term problems. This is one of them.

How long were you on the USB consortium committee during the debates on USB-C? Did Apple never suggest just using Lightning for USB-C or were there scenarios where Lightning was not the best solution or perhaps others on the committee didn’t agree on using Lightning as a basis. I’m sure there are lots of fascinating stories from that time.

 

[CarAnalogy]

This has so many implications for Apple's most important products.
- Lightning is, arguably, a driver of iPhone 4 sales with the feature of being able to plug in either side

Plenty of other improvements, and does nothing to address the issue of short term thinking causing a long term problem.

- 30 pin actually didn't provide enough power to the iPad 3. I've built apps for the iPad 3 to run as a kiosk and quite often the iPad 3 would shut off on its own despite being connected to a 10W charger. Delaying iPad adoption for USB-C by another

The iPad 3 should never have been released and Apple proved it by unceremoniously replacing it 7 months later with a model that they continued to sell for over two years. I should know, I had one. iPad 3 goes down in Apple's mistakes column, it doesn't excuse anything.

2 years means the iPad 4 and iPad Air wouldn't sustain being used as kiosks (either that or you had to lower max brightness/throttle the chip)

Should have put more work into USB-C then and not diverted resources on a different connector.

- Apple Pencil 1 would have never existed and we would have waited an extra 3 years before Apple introduces the Pencil

Again Apple Pencil 1 arguably should not exist and has only served to further fracture the iPad lineup.

and so on.

No I think that's about it. No matter how you slice it, their short term thinking has caused this long term problem of having to make another transition, this time to the universal standard they should have used in the first place.

EDIT: iPhone 5, not iPhone 4

iPhone 5 was the last of the small phones. Just one more generation is all it would have taken. While it was an improvement over 30-pin I was there and nobody was thrilled about switching to Lightning then, either.

 

[CarAnalogy]

How long were you on the USB consortium committee during the debates on USB-C? Did Apple never suggest just using Lightning for USB-C or were there scenarios where Lightning was not the best solution or perhaps others on the committee didn’t agree on using Lightning as a basis. I’m sure there are lots of fascinating stories from that time.

I started off that paragraph indicating that it was speculation. It is clearly not the superior standard or USB-C wouldn't exist. And time has proven that USB-C was capable of evolving in a way that Lightning was not. USB-C's superiority over Lightning is public knowledge, especially at this point.

Again, my only point this whole time has been that it was a short term solution that should have been avoided. I'm not saying there weren't some good reasons to do it, just that this whole second transition could have been avoided had they not done it. It wasn't unavoidable and has caused unnecessary problems.