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Taking away a feature that has no cost associated with it... what do you call it if it's not gimping?
How do you take away something that was never given or promised to begin with?

There is no conspiracy afoot. It's how Apple has always approached product design (ie: begin with the end in mind), and barring some massive overturn in their design team, I see no reason for it to suddenly change overnight. This is probably the biggest difference between how a design-led company like Apple thinks, vs an engineering mindset where the first instinct is to simply cram the best technology into a package regardless of whether it actually serves the customer or not.

To me, it's all part and parcel of product design. You begin with the end in mind, and determine the features that would matter to your target audience and settle on the experience you would like them to have. You then work backwards to determine how best to enable that experience with the existing technology at hand, while stripping away everything that does not contribute directly to that desired experience.

And if Apple (rightfully) determines that the people buying an iPhone 15 have no need of faster usb transfer speeds because their data shows that this group of users rarely ever plug in their phones to transfer huge volumes of media files (and also because their phones don't support prores / proraw), then including a usb 3.1 or even thunderbolt port is simply not a priority.

Yes, all other things equal, why couldn't Apple just include a usb 3.1 port in place of a 2.0 port? But the point here is that they don't have to, and it's very likely their user base for this particular segment won't even care or notice. You don't miss what you don't need.

I also disagree that a product is gimped simply because it could have been made better in some way, because that's an ever-shifting goalpost. Nor is this reflective of the iPhone installed base’s heterogenous nature. What may be important to you may not matter as much to me. Trying to satisfy both of us in the same exact way is a fool’s errand.

The people commenting here at Macrumours are by definition more tech-savvy than the average iPhone user. It's not wrong to desire a certain feature for their own needs. Just be honest about it. The problem then comes when they attempt to make it sound like their preferences are somehow representative of Apple's overall user base.
 
None of the Android last as long nor are they supported with updates as long as a typical iPhone.
So, there’s none.

Then that's too bad.

I don't like Microsoft's bloatware with every new Windows update, but there's no other desktop platform that has this amount of AAA native games. Does this mean we can get EU to ban Microsoft from installing bloatware? Nope.
 
hundreds of alternatives.
That‘s not an alternative. An alternative offers the same set of functions and Android and iOS don‘t. Not even different models of the same brand are an alternative to one another.
An alternative would be one pill of the same kind of a different pharmaceutical brand.

Maybe you call Android an alternative but that would largely mean that you can‘t tell the differences apart, or consider them meaningful. Well, they have meaning for others which is why they opt for one or the other.
 
None of the Android last as long nor are they supported with updates as long as a typical iPhone.
So, there’s none.

Part of the reason I made the switch years ago.
you can't tell me a phone being updated 6 years to say 4 or 5 is a thing that matters surely? and all android phones get 5 years of security updates as well. updates on phones these days are a non issue now.
 
Heard that MiFi makes Apple like 50% of their revenue, that's lot of money.
How dare a company make money by selling products, they are supposed to be a charity serving people and making the technology open source so that the whole society can benefit.
Just possible that you heard wrong about MFI revenue.
 
You’re assuming that everyone already has a multitude of USB products, I don’t. I have a few, but not enough to support this nonsense. Still going to have to buy a multitude of new charging cables. Kind of defeating the point.

That is actually false. The latest stats actually show that more are switching to Apple.


the latest stats pulled from apple marketing
1693082891901.gif


Apple leads in the USA ONLY. Apple adoption is DOWN world wide.
 
Adoption of apple products from non apple uses has fallen sharp year after year.

the latest stats pulled from apple marketing View attachment 2251113

Apple leads in the USA ONLY. Apple adoption is DOWN world wide.

2019 https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide/2019
Android: 74.45%
iOS:22.85%

2020 https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide/2020
Android: 74.3%
iOS:24.76%

2021 https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide/2021
Android: 71.93%
iOS:27.47%

2022 https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide/2022
Android: 69.74%
iOS:29.49%

🤣
 
So in 2023, Apple gives a camera that can take large, high quality 4K video files—but when it comes to transfer speeds of said files, we get a cable with the capability limitations of 2008?

Apple, you suck.
it's 2023, transfer wirelessly.
 
So in 2023, Apple gives a camera that can take large, high quality 4K video files—but when it comes to transfer speeds of said files, we get a cable with the capability limitations of 2008?

Apple, you suck.

If wired data transfer is that important, wait a few more weeks and you can buy the only device on the market with 40gbps transfer speed: iphone 15 pro.

However for years, I have been using the cable exclusively for charging.
I set my mac to sync when the iphone is under wifi, so without touching the phone, anything I want to syncs. Same goes for backup.
 
Heard that MiFi makes Apple like 50% of their revenue, that's lot of money.
How dare a company make money by selling products, they are supposed to be a charity serving people and making the technology open source so that the whole society can benefit.

That number us absolutely rubbish.

MFI isn’t even making Apple all that much money overall. Yes, OEMs have to pay Apple a licensing fee, but Apple also sends them materials for use as well. The end result is that it’s more a way to exert control over their ecosystem and control the quality of accessories than it is a key source of revenue.
 
Then that's too bad.

I don't like Microsoft's bloatware with every new Windows update, but there's no other desktop platform that has this amount of AAA native games. Does this mean we can get EU to ban Microsoft from installing bloatware? Nope.
Just uninstall the bloat. And about microsoft edge. Just ignore it hide it and everything will be okay. Works for me
 
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By reusing the billions of perfectly functional lightning cables until the iPhone goes portless.

There's "billions" of perfectly functional USB-C cables out there already too. Each one of which is way more capable and compatible than Lightning ever was or ever will be.
 
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Adoption of apple products from non apple uses has fallen sharp year after year.

the latest stats pulled from apple marketing

Apple leads in the USA ONLY. Apple adoption is DOWN worldwide.
You need to keep up, buddy. More & more people are switching to iPhones & iOS year after year. The only reason why Android has the majority of the marketshare worldwide right now, is because of the pricing.

If the pricing of iPhones worldwide were neck & neck with the majority of Android phones, Apple & iOS would have equal marketshare to Android right now, or even surpass them.

If wired data transfer is that important, wait a few more weeks and you can buy the only device on the market with 40gbps transfer speed: iphone 15 pro.
Or the iPhone 15 Pro Max/iPhone 15 Ultra.
 
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There's "billions" of perfectly functional USB-C cables out there already too.

Those aren't going to be transferred to the Apple users who buy iPhone 15. They'll be getting it in the box, newly produced.

Could Apple originally have planned to include lightning for iPhone 15? Sure. But they could have absolutely removed it which would have brought savings to the environment and Apple's bottom line which could have translated to some additional value to customer (like adding XYZ feature now that the budget allows for it). Now with the switch to USB-C, it's no longer feasible.
 
Since I had a 2nd generation iPod touch, I don't remember these devices ever having fast transfer speeds. I will wait for it to finish a backup.

If Apple makes sure that only the Pro models get faster speeds, regardless of the cable issue, then, it will be news. The price of controller chips is higher than the price of cables, but either way, Apple has the highest profit of the industry. They can afford to make more people happy.
 
Those aren't going to be transferred to the Apple users who buy iPhone 15. They'll be getting it in the box, newly produced.

Apple has always included a newly-produced Lightning cable in every iPhone box, too. Including a USB-C cable instead has the same environmental footprint, but you're getting a much more practical and useful cable that can be used and shared with many devices, not just iPhones.

And over time, we'll need to buy fewer cables when cables are standardised.
 
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Apple has always included a newly-produced Lightning cable in every iPhone box, too. Including a USB-C cable instead has the same environmental footprint, but you're getting a much more practical and useful cable that can be used and shared with many devices, not just iPhones.

And over time, we'll need to buy fewer cables when cables are standardised.

unfortunately changing only the type of connector does not necessarily make it compatible with many other products.
For example I can't use it as a cable for power delivery to my monitor, or I can't use it to send 4k video, or I can't use it for high power charging.

Unfortunately the world of usb-c cables is full of chaos, so much so that in recent years the certified-usb certification has been released (for a fee of course) to indicate the specifications of the cables on the packaging.
Yes, because until now it has been chaos, you often bought a usb-c cable but didn't know if the specifications were sufficient for your device.
For example, the usb-c cables of my flashlights do not carry data but only low-power current.

Apple solved this problem years ago with MFI certification on its lighting cables and for users there has never been a problem, buying a certified cable that costs less on average than usb-c cables.
 
unfortunately changing only the type of connector does not necessarily make it compatible with many other products.
For example I can't use it as a cable for power delivery to my monitor, or I can't use it to send 4k video, or I can't use it for high power charging.

It will be compatible for charging every other USB-C device out there, ie: the vast majority of all modern consumer electronics.

"High power" is relative. Even the most basic USB-C cable is capable of charging at 60W, which is already far better than Lightning's max 18W. 60W is decent enough to make it useful for charging most devices - more than enough for my M1 MacBook Air, for example! You'd even get away with using it on most MacBook Pros (albeit at reduced charging speeds).

This alone makes it much more useful and capable than Lightning ever was.
 
For example, the usb-c cables of my flashlights do not carry data but only low-power current.

If you have a USB-C cable that cannot carry data, then it is not a USB-C cable. It's not compliant with the spec, potentially dangerous, and IMO should be returned or destroyed.
 
Apple solved this problem years ago with MFI certification on its lighting cables and for users there has never been a problem, buying a certified cable that costs less on average than usb-c cables.

While I agree with you that the world of USB-C/Thunderbolt cables can be confusing, it's important to remember that even the most basic USB-C cable is more capable than the best MFI-certified Lightning cable.

Or to put it another way, there is no USB-C cable that is worse than a Lightning cable.
 
If you have a USB-C cable that cannot carry data, then it is not a USB-C cable. It's not compliant with the spec, potentially dangerous, and IMO should be returned or destroyed.

the fact that so far there hasn't been a certification recognized all over the world, unlike what Apple did, with MFI about 10 years ago, has created this situation, cables usb-c made in china, with the most disparate specifications.
Of course now there is the certified USB, but not everyone agrees also because it is paid.


While I agree with you that the world of USB-C/Thunderbolt cables can be confusing, it's important to remember that even the most basic USB-C cable is more capable than the best MFI-certified Lightning cable.

Or to put it another way, there is no USB-C cable that is worse than a Lightning cable.

no, I don't agree with this:
when you buy an MFI certified cable you know it will work 100% perfect and do exactly the job you do.

For usb-c cables I have just shown you that it is a tower of Babel and it is said that you buy a cable, it will be compatible with your needs:
1) not all are usb-certified. Adherence to this certification is an optional for cable manufacturers and the cable, not certified, often works but badly. With the iPhone, however, a non-MFI cable is not really recognized as suitable by the iPhone and this has determined that today 99% of cables are MFI certified.
For 3 bucks you can buy a well made MFI certified cable.

2) the fast charging standards of smartphones are proprietary standards, so you need to be sure you buy a cable with the right standard. Again, there is no universal charging standard, everyone does what they like and then puts USB2.0 cables in the packs.

3) the commercialized data rates 4k 30hz, 60hz 120hz, are still a problem.
When I bought my first 4k 60hz monitor, it was a trauma to buy a cable that could handle power delivery and 60hz, I had to buy 3 cables to get to the right one.

4) another problem:
devices with usb-c Thunderbolt 3 port will not work with USB-C 3.1 cables

5) another problem: some usb-c Thunderbolt 3 devices require a Thundebolt 3 USB-C cable and a computer with a Thunderbolt 3 port.

A tower of Babel...

as a user, I don't like all this chaos that has been created, so much so that in the end I prefer to spend more and buy very expensive cables at the apple store, rather than wasting time trying to save money.
time is money.
 
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