iPad Pro iPad Pro lacking Connectivity?

[garyleecn]

There's already a lightning to usb2.0 adapter. I use mine frequently to connect an external dac/headphone amp when listening to my shure ear plugs. I also have used it to transfer in jpg from a compact flash adapter. It works but it's super slowe compared to usb 3.0 transfers. Usb-c is designed for 20volt operation. That's how it can carry 100 watts while at only 5 amps. Lightning is currently limited to 5 volts and it would be a risk for apple to up it to 20 volts at the risk of frying iPhones etc with the wrong power adapter. Usb c is already has a standard for this. In fact my wife's rMB usb c charger charges our phones and iPads in a pinch with the right adapter. At 5 volt, you would to dump 20 amps in a very small cable/connector. That would cause a ton of heat.

Usb c is capable for UP TO 100w. Doesn't any portable device need such a high power? Even the most power demanding 15 inch MacBook has a power adapter of 85w.
And I don't see where "frying" iPhones coming from. Don't you know that those adapters adjust power transmission automatically? Did you forget the chip inside the lightning cable/connector? That's where advantage is. Soon there will be lightning-usbc cables on the market, I don't think plunging such a cable into a 28w apple usbc charger will fry my iPhone. And 28w should be plenty enough for such an arm based ipad

 

[capitanbuzo]

USB C would have been nice...

 

[oneMadRssn]

That's not true. There are plenty of third party Lightning accessories.

Nope.

Other than charging cables or battery cases, where the actual lightning connector and chip is still purchased directly from Apple (thus the lightning component is still first party), name any other third-party Lightning accessory that actually works.

 

[gordyotieno]

the new iPad Pro is great

 

[xPad]

Nope.

Other than charging cables or battery cases, where the actual lightning connector and chip is still purchased directly from Apple (thus the lightning component is still first party), name any other third-party Lightning accessory that actually works.

Speakers and game controllers.

And that's not what first party means. It doesn't mean they don't buy components, like chips, from someone else. For example, a Lightning cable from Monoprice cable is not a first party accessory.

So, pretty much the exact opposite of "nope".

 

[oneMadRssn]

Speakers and game controllers.

And that's not what first party means. It doesn't mean they don't buy components, like chips, from someone else. For example, a Lightning cable from Monoprice cable is not a first party accessory.

So, pretty much the exact opposite of "nope".

Show me a single Lightning game controller. There aren't any.

Speakers - you're right. But just like charging cables and battery cases, the actual Lightning parts are made by Apple (not just "someone else," the fact it has to be Apple is significant).

I know what first party means, and I know what third party means, and I know what third party is not. Take Belkin for example. It's not that Belkin just buys another component from someone else. Belkin HAS TO buy the entire Lightning connector AND chip from APPLE. There is no other way to have a Lightning accessory except to buy the Lightning parts from the OEM. That makes it not a third party Lightning accessory. Nothing about the "lightning" part of it is third-party, and that's the part that matters.

Also, in arguendo, if those are third-party accessories. That's still hardly any third party accessories at all. So we have charging cables, charging battery packs, speaker docks, and I know of one lightning keyboard. So a bunch of ways to charge it, a few options for music, and one input device. That's a piss poor list of accessories.

Like I said above, I think Apple has double-down on this format given the recent keynote, and I think there will be more accessories to come. For now, it's pretty locked down and there isn't much out there.

 

[rowspaxe]

It doesn't change the fact that usb thumb drive is outdated, at the end of its life. What advantage does it have over wifi/cloud? Storage? Speed?

yes.

 

[rowspaxe]

It doesn't change the fact that usb thumb drive is outdated, at the end of its life. What advantage does it have over wifi/cloud? Storage? Speed?

yes.

 

[littelsquidge]

I do wonder now about the Lightening port. It's been said before that the only thing limiting devices from getting smaller is the ports themselves which Apple has addressed with such a small port, which is basically a USB-C-Mini I suppose. Has anyone clocked transfer speeds on the Lightening cable?
I agree however that for such a large device like this, another more useful port would be fabulous. But I don't see it being a USB-C. It was said in the keynote that the Smart Connector will power and transfer data to compatible devices, what other kind of device could be attached to that connector?

I think you are right. The Smart Connector seems to have been overlooked. I would be interested to see some info on the data transfer rates for it and what level of power sharing it can achieve.

Some kind of 'Pro Dock' for next year's model? Something that adds additional storage, media docks, mouse connectivity?

 

[Codeseven]

I think you are right. The Smart Connector seems to have been overlooked. I would be interested to see some info on the data transfer rates for it and what level of power sharing it can achieve.

Some kind of 'Pro Dock' for next year's model? Something that adds additional storage, media docks, mouse connectivity?

Totally forgot about the Smart Connector. I was just thinking of it in terms of simply docking to the keyboard case and nothing else. Now I too wonder about it's potential data transfer rates. What if all along it was the Smart Connector that Apple has intended for connecting peripherals needing fast data speeds and not the Lightning connector at all.

Ya, a 'Pro Dock' of sorts with at least a high speed data port (USB-C/Thunderbolt/ect) may be in the works (?)

 

[xPad]

Show me a single Lightning game controller. There aren't any.

Here you go:
http://www.mogaanywhere.com/ace/

Speakers - you're right. But just like charging cables and battery cases, the actual Lightning parts are made by Apple (not just "someone else," the fact it has to be Apple is significant).

Again, that's not what first party means.

I know what first party means, and I know what third party means, and I know what third party is not.

Then why don't you use the words correctly?

Take Belkin for example. It's not that Belkin just buys another component from someone else. Belkin HAS TO buy the entire Lightning connector AND chip from APPLE. There is no other way to have a Lightning accessory except to buy the Lightning parts from the OEM. That makes it not a third party Lightning accessory. Nothing about the "lightning" part of it is third-party, and that's the part that matters.

That's why, because you really don't know what those words mean.

Is an HP not a third party PC, because Intel makes the chips? Is it not a third party PC because MS makes the OS? I guess HP PCs are actually first party PCs from both Intel and MS? At the same time?

Also, in arguendo, if those are third-party accessories. That's still hardly any third party accessories at all.

You said there were none.

So we have charging cables, charging battery packs, speaker docks, and I know of one lightning keyboard. So a bunch of ways to charge it, a few options for music, and one input device. That's a piss poor list of accessories.

That's tons of accessories. But either way, they are third party, and by no means obscure.

Like I said above, I think Apple has double-down on this format given the recent keynote, and I think there will be more accessories to come. For now, it's pretty locked down and there isn't much out there.

Except for literally hundreds of different products, there aren't much...

 

[oneMadRssn]

Here you go:
http://www.mogaanywhere.com/ace/

That's a bluetooth controller that also doubles as a Lightning battery case. The controller part of it, the button presses and whatnot, go over bluetooth and not Lightning.

Is an HP not a third party PC, because Intel makes the chips? Is it not a third party PC because MS makes the OS? I guess HP PCs are actually first party PCs from both Intel and MS? At the same time?

HP doesn't HAVE TO use Intel CPUs. HP doesn't HAVE TO use a MS OS. It's still a PC if HP uses an AMD chip and a Linux OS.

Look, we're getting too far into semantics, but I think my point is clear. There are plenty of third-party iPhone accessories. There aren't any third-party lightning accessories. See the difference? The word "lightning" is important because Apple is the ONLY source of the thing which makes an accessory lightning.

Take the converse example of USB. Many manufacturers make USB connectors and controller chips. Someone implementing USB on an accessory can buy it from anywhere. Thus they are third-party.

Take your HP example. HP makes third party PCs in general. But I would say they make first-party Intel PCs, because the only way for a PC to be an Intel PC is to buy chips from Intel. When you say Intel PC, the "Intel" part matters.

You said there were none.

I'm sorry that I used a fancy term. I said in arguendo, which means "for arguments sake." This means - but even if you're right, which you're not, then your ultimately conclusion is still not true. I stand by that. Regardless of our semantics debate over third-party or not, there are barely any accessories that use a Lightning port other than those made by Apple.

Except for literally hundreds of different products, there aren't much...

No, we have so far 4 different products: Hundreds of different cables. Dozens of battery cases. Less than a dozen different speakers. One keyboard.

Compare that to accessories that existed for the older 30-pin dock connector. There were MIDI keyboards, sound mixers, breathalyzers, microphones, luggage scales, and all sorts of silly stuff that lit up and made noise. Not saying it was all useful to every person, but there was certainly a wide wide variety of accessories.

 

[charlituna]

I was hoping that if there were to be only a single port it would be at least USB-C. But, maybe I'm just not understanding what a Lightning ports capabilities are. Can you connect multiple devices to a single Lightning port? What need would there be to do so on a device like this?

its an iPad not a computer so no Apple doesn't care about connecting a ton of devices etc

 

[Commy1]

I think I remember reading Lightning is roughly equal to only USB 2.0. Not a very fast connection in light of Firewire 800, USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt.

That's terrible, maybe Apple can increase the transfer speed through software or something although...

"The A9X chip is capable of processing data so quickly, it demanded a new memory architecture. iPad Pro features a revamped storage controller that helps deliver performance better than some desktop computers. This increases read and write speeds, so you can quickly open even the largest files."

That said, maybe the Lightening port will be 'overclocked' so to speak to cope with the iPad Pros faster speeds? Maybe?

 

[Charlie74]

Or the MaxiPad, but I think that name is taken

Here's the case for it.

[doublepost=1465410987][/doublepost]

That's terrible, maybe Apple can increase the transfer speed through software or something although...

"The A9X chip is capable of processing data so quickly, it demanded a new memory architecture. iPad Pro features a revamped storage controller that helps deliver performance better than some desktop computers. This increases read and write speeds, so you can quickly open even the largest files."

That said, maybe the Lightening port will be 'overclocked' so to speak to cope with the iPad Pros faster speeds? Maybe?

I doubt it, iOS is synonymous with compromise. There isn't a single feature in iOS that I can think of that isn't contrived. Example, sure, you can share files between apps but through a Sharing function, though it's one of the most hacked together sharing functions I've ever seen. A function mind you that creates a copy of the file your sharing, not even the original, slowly filling your drive with copies of copies of copies depending on how much you use this feature. The app developer also has to actually make a share profile in order for their app to even be listed into the share manager, which is basically just another app, connected to the system with an API. This list is created dynamically by every other OS out there, including Android. The majority of iOS's features are basically apps, which are glued together by API's, with nothing ever actually built into the system or communicating directly with the system.

It's also why none Apple apps ever support any of iOS's newest features until at least 3 to 12 months later, if ever. People complain that Android is fragmented, well, so is iOS, though not with the system but with it's apps. The App Store is riddled with apps that don't contain support for iOS's newest features, heck, not even the previous gen's features. Take iOS 9's dual app view, less than .5% out of the million and a half plus apps in Apple's chaotic App Store actually support it and I highly doubt that percentage will increase pass 1% this year. People complain that there is no 3D Touch support on the iPad Pro, why, the number of apps that actually support it, a feature mind you that was introduced in iOS 8 was as low, if not lower, than the dual app view when released and still hasn't reached double digit percentages. Outside of the top 300 apps, you can forget about ever seeing support for any of iOS's latest and more interesting features in the first year of release.

Why, simple, iOS's so called Walled Garden, the number one reason why iOS will never become that, "Pro" OS we all want.

"The illusion of security will always come at a price most will gladly pay until they loose everything." -Charlie74

 

[M. Gustave]

I doubt it, iOS is synonymous with compromise.

You resurrected a year old thread to enlighten us with this wisdom? lol

Every computer, OS, and every piece of software that runs on them, is a compromise. You clearly have no engineering, IT, or project management experience.

 

[Charlie74]

Actually I have masters in computer science and am a programmer of 20 years. I design custom finance solutions, mostly for the Fix Protocol and proprietary trading systems.

 

[sracer]

I find the limitations of hardware connectivity more of a hurdle than limitations of iOS. Some of that is easy to fix... Apple could expand support for USB and Bluetooth peripherals without compromising the system and expand iOS without compromising the vision they have for it.

Actually I have masters in computer science and am a programmer of 20 years. I design custom finance solutions, mostly for the Fix Protocol and proprietary trading systems.

As an aside, I think that de-emphasizing of degrees in CompSci these days has done a disservice to the subsequent generations. Not only do they not have the same depth and breadth of knowledge, but the framework to put the knowledge into practice.

But then again, I too have a degree in CompSci and have been a developer for nearly 40 years and...
... hey you kids... get off my lawn!!!

 

[M. Gustave]

Actually I have masters in computer science and am a programmer of 20 years. I design custom finance solutions, mostly for the Fix Protocol and proprietary trading systems.

Enough said. I fully understand now why you can't see the forest for the trees.

I supported trading floors for 10 years, and the dev teams at all the big banks had little to no understanding or interest in even basic software development processes.

 

[AFEPPL]

Lol, so true...!

 

[LCPepper]

That is exactly me.

 

[Charlie74]

You can insult me and my choice of career all you want, even though your assessment is complete nonsense. The fact of the matter still remains, I am not impressed with iOS in the slightest, it's a contrived OS, an illusion, that is severely lacking even the most basic features. The only value is it's apps, though I simply cannot use 90% of them do to iOS's ahortcomings, as of right now I only use my iPad Pro for music creation, everything else, I use my Macbook, Pixel C and a Panasonic 20" ToughPad for Albeton Live.