John Gruber: Apple Invented USB Type C

[MarkusL]

Who is going to design a data port where the plug just falls out with the slightest nudge? They'd be a laughing stock for decades. 'Error detection in the transfer protocol' isn't going to stop processes crashing when a data source gets disconnected mid-read. Unless you're flippantly suggesting all the world's software should get also rewritten to an impossible standard of robustness just for the sake of a connector that users everywhere will be calling ****ing stupid on a daily basis.

What I responded to was an unfounded concern that a magsafe-like connector would cause data corruption to go undetected, which is a non-issue.

Have you ever seen and/or used a magsafe plug? They don't fall out "with the slightest nudge".

Do you think "being able to resume an interrupted file transfer once the connection has been restored, without crashing" seems like science fiction? Is it out of reach for a company with the R&D resources of Apple?

 

[Imory]

You don't want your data cable to be as easily detachable as a MagSafe cable. If the cable came undone during transfer it could seriously corrupt files.

That's not really a reason to consider or the primary reason they did this. The chances of tripping on your cable while transferring something is...well a risk so small I'd be willing to take.

But using a USB-C cable which isn't easily detachable that you happen to trip, well you're going to completely destroy your Mac since it's going to fly right away with the cable, and eventually the port or the charger is going to be ruined, like cheap plastic OEM computers get after around 2 years.

Or, they should should've kept the power separate. Not using magnetics in this case is a significant regression.

 

[Mactendo]

Informed little birdie said John Gruber was invented at Apple.

 

[bingeciren]

I said this in another USB C thread, there is no reason why they couldn't have made an omnidirectional magnetic power AND data cable. Think of it as MagSafe on steroids.

I agree with Imory. You don't want to disconnect the magSafe + data cable cable in the middle of a write cycle. Charger disruption on a battery powered notebook is harmless whereas the other scenario leaves you with corrupted data.

 

[alexgowers]

I'm sure it's true, Usb c seems like the ultimate port to end all port needs and Apple has no reason to claim it as it's totally new.

I just hope apple don't spec the cable materials and stress relief designs all their cables are **** and break, fall apart and are generally poor quality. It's a shame because the connectors are always too notch!

 

[scottishwildcat]

Not having the connector pull away when yanked on is a severe negative for a portable.

While this is true, MagSafe works because the magnetic force of the connector is delicately balanced against the weight of the device on the table. It's entirely possible that the new MacBook is just too light to make it work without weakening the magnet so much that it wouldn't just keep falling out at the slightest touch.

 

[fat jez]

Plus if you made USB-C MagSafe, wouldn't you need every USB-C device to support that? You'd have a whole string of devices that can be easily separated. Also not sure you'd want a magnet surrounding a data connector.

 

[kevinneal]

Why ditch MagSafe, though?!

I should think its something to do with accidentally unmounting a connected drive

 

[AdonisSMU]

I imagine you wouldn't want MagSafe in a port that transfers data. If it gets pulled when transferring files or before you disconnect a drive you could potentially corrupt the file or damage the drive. Maybe there will be an adapter that splits to a MagSafe power port?

Thats actually a great idea. I wonder if Apple would come up with this solution in the future?

 

[lewisdorigo]

From the verge:

Apple assigned 18 engineers to help build it alongside companies like Lenovo, Dell, and HP. That engineer count is second only to Intel (with 24 people) and just above Microsoft’s 16 assigned engineers. Apple significantly surpasses the amount of engineers assigned from Google (10), Dell (5), and HP (6).

So it was a collaboration.

That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not an Apple invention: Apple could have designed the port and took it to the standards bodies, who then developed Apple’s design with those other companies.

I don’t see any reason for Gruber — or his source, for that matter — to lie about this, seen as only a limited number of people will hear it, and the majority of those that will typically like Apple as a company anyway…

 

[Max(IT)]

It's a pity iPads (or any iDevices) don't have Qi, while competitors' top models (incl. even the inexpensive Nexus 7 tablets) have been having it for two years. And not an easily detachable Lightning, either.

Agree. It would be nice to have wireless charging on iDevices.
It's coherent with Apple's minimalistic vision, so I don't know why.

 

[Sonltt]

If Apple had invented it, why wouldn't they just have said it?

They said here

https://youtu.be/_5osYMY5n3Q?t=44m18s

 

[Max(IT)]

Everything you just stated is what an iPad is for.

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In the past decade you are correct. In the 90's and 80's quite a lot did. The main reason the past decade they haven't is simply because Jobs came back. Apple literally wouldn't exist anymore otherwise. They were broke.

Make your "past decade" more like "last 15 years" and you are correct.
Btw I quite trust a company like Apple in their commercial decisions. They are not infallible, but they're right most of the time, and the market usually follows them.

 

[Nozuka]

sure, apple invented it. along with the other companies. group effort.

they probably have some lightning patents they allowed them to use though.

 

[postpc]

What a dumb thing to say. Why not a MagSafe USB-C?

What a dumb thing to say. Because the magnetic field might affect the current?

 

[5232152]

Did John Gruber loose a lot of readers? This comes way to out of the blue to sound even remotely true.

Besides, i can't count how many times the magsafe have saved my PC from falling to the floor. This is just like using any Windows machine again... Not very appealing for people who take their laptop outside the office.

 

[fizzyfizz]

Apologies for sounding thick but I've obviously missed something here. What if I wanted to use 2 or more devices at the same time? (e.g., power line, USB drive, flash card reader etc)

 

[MH01]

If Apple had invented it, why wouldn't they just have said it?

Bingo. They did mention that they worked together with the industry to develop it.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

I would have thought it obvious why Apple didn't include MagSafe as well as USB-C.

What would happen if a user connected both at once, either out of stupidity or just simple-mindedness? Part of the software would have to decide which connection got priority to power the battery, and if that failed, you have a major hazard on your hands...

 

[EthanLMT]

To actually add something constructive to this thread, even if Apple didn't invent it, wouldn't they be credited for its adoption (or lack thereof potentially..) anyways?

Are other laptops on the market with USB-C now or imminently?

There's a new chrome book that does

 

[Max(IT)]

My question after nine pages is: who cares if Apple actually invented it, or just contributed to create it ?

 

[lewisdorigo]

If Apple had invented it, why wouldn't they just have said it?

Gruber clearly says why: Politics.

And that the politics of such is that they can't really say that. They're not going to come out in public and say it, but they did.

Ostensibly, the standards body doesn’t allow that kind of disclosure.

It could be that they believe a single company taking credit for the standard may it’s adoption by the industry at large. For example, FireWire and Thunderbolt: people believe they were invented by Apple, and have not seen significant adoption outside of Apple.

 

[3247]

Sorry, but will be many years before most computers (except this Macbook) only come with USB-C without at least one legacy USB-A port.

For desktop computers, this may be true. Some of them still come with PS/2 ports, after all. For mobile computers, this will be different. Some of them will be too thin to even include a USB-A receptacle.

So here's my question: If Apple supposedly invented this port, why didn't they design it to be like Lightning? It looks like there's still a 'tongue' inside the USB-C port.

My guess is that Apple did submit Lightning to the USB IF. However, during the standardising process, it was changed to become Type-C: the inside-out design (compared to Lightning), additional pins for power and additional data streams.

You must not value your data then. It would be easy for a magsafe data connection to become detached enough so that data is corrupted but not enough that you'd notice to initiate a retransfer.

USB is a digital connection.

Never. The iPad and iPhone are too thin to house something the size of USB-C.

The USB-C plug is only 8.4 mm × 2.6 mm, and unlike with Lightning, the pins of the receptacle go inside. While the plug may be a bit thicker than Lightning, the receptacle is about the same size.

 

[zhenya]

What I responded to was an unfounded concern that a magsafe-like connector would cause data corruption to go undetected, which is a non-issue.

Have you ever seen and/or used a magsafe plug? They don't fall out "with the slightest nudge".

Do you think "being able to resume an interrupted file transfer once the connection has been restored, without crashing" seems like science fiction? Is it out of reach for a company with the R&D resources of Apple?

If you only use them while sitting at a desk, that may be so. If, on the other hand, you use them sitting in a chair, on the couch, in bed, they definitely have a propensity for getting pulled out rather easily.

 

[Popeye206]

Why ditch MagSafe, though?!

I dig ya... I love the MagSafe connection for charging. But, if USB-C takes off, it will be one port fits all in the future. That is a trade-off well worth it. I hate that we have to have all these different ports.

I think USB-C is genius. Thank you Apple!

Sucks that 5 years down the road, all the Apple haters will love it and won't even know Apple gave them this standard.