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Lightning is so much better than micro/mini USB - why are ppl complaining?
- Thread starter AlvinNguyen
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The cables cost 20 dollars not including the AC block. I did order an extra cable with my iphone preorder but man 20 bucks for a usb cable is a lot.
microUSB cables cost 4 dollars and it's not complicated to plug in your phone to charge it.
Bottom line: Apple wants as much money from us as possible.
microUSB cables cost 4 dollars and it's not complicated to plug in your phone to charge it.
Bottom line: Apple wants as much money from us as possible.
That doesn't mean it doesn't suck. And lightning offers quite a bit over micro-usb.
This is just Apple's way of showing the industry that can really be done if you are willing to put some thought and ingenuity into the design instead of miniaturizing an already crappy design.
I hope they license lightning. It's a wonderful connector that should be standardized.
It absolutely should not be standardized, as they've now turned it into a nightmare for accessory developers, whereby the connector that you have to buy from Apple has to be specified to be one of several number of different flavors available depending on its functionality.
i.e. Their own "standard" has four different part numbers. So far.
MicroUSB is a standard here. Nearly all phones and accessories support it.
Not really fussed either way, don't have a lot of accessories.
Not really fussed either way, don't have a lot of accessories.
I understand why people are mad but I'm not. I don't have any accessories. My car uses any USB. Only thing that sucks is I need to get a few more cables. One for my nightstand, computer, and car.
What? Four different part numbers for a connector? I think the new connector is really good and thought to myself, why are people freaking out over this, it is sooooo much better than the 30 pin and microusb. What's the problem? Connectors that only insert one way suck.
I rather pay $60 in adapter/extra charger fees then have to deal with the mini USB "insert correctly on the third attempt" BS.
Life is about little victories and being plugging in my phone is now a daily victory.
Life is about little victories and being plugging in my phone is now a daily victory.
The cord that my iPhone 5 uses to charge comes with my phone for FREE. It's smaller than USB 3.0, so I'm happy.
Yes, four different part numbers for a connector.
They took a connector that had a lot of functionality, and while making it smaller and reversible, broke it apart into four different available connectors, depending on the functionality.
Friend of mine owns a phone shop with repair facilities, broken microUSB ports on phones is one of the biggest individual repair services he gets asked for. The biggest cause is people who don't realise there is only one way for it to go in.
It's a delicate, difficult to use fitting. If they really wanted to standardise, miniUSB would even have been better.
The fact lightning goes in either way makes it a no brainer over microUSB just for that reason alone.
No problem with it at all, but when you have to switch up all of your accessories for accessories that arent out, theres a problem
Sounds like a great way to miniaturize while not losing functionality. And no more ripped out connectors!! YEAH!
Because there's only one part for USB connectors?
You don't understand the point I was making, I'm talking about connector part numbers as provided by Apple. You know, the mating connectors that you are sole-sourced by Apple.
The 30 pin connector was extremely versatile, with several different types of signals available, for doing a number of different things through that single connector.
Now, if you want to make an accessory that communicates via UART? Here's the part number for that one.
Want to make an accessory that communicates via USB as a host? Here's the part number.
Want one that communicates via USB as a device? Here's that part number.
Want to make an accessory that only provides power but doesn't communicate? Here's the part number for that one.
Pain in the ass.
Edit:
Yeah, except for the part where it does lose functionality! lol
The iPhone currently doesn't support USB 3.0. I don't think you can assume that means Lightning won't support USB 3.0 if they needed it to. I'm positive Apple will release devices running USB 3.0 over Lightning in the future.
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I completely understand. And while it was extremely versatile in some ways, it was extremely limiting in other ways. Apple found a way to get around that.
Pain in the ass it trying to connect a micro-usb cable when you don't have a line of sight to it.
Again, you're missing the point.
My original point was, that the lightning connector should never be licensed or made into a standard, because it adds a lot more overhead for developers and manufacturers. They are the ones who would be licensing such technology, and because of that, never would.
Nope, didn't miss any points. Mini and micro-USB connectors suck and I am so happy to have a Lightning connector on my iPhone 5. I wish more of my electronics would have this connector.
Wish all you want, you're obviously not very tech-savvy, so you can't understand why it just won't, and shouldn't happen.