Lightning was rushed ...

[Dwalls90]

Let's face it, there really are no new functions lightning brings that the 30-pin couldn't provide. Yes, it's smaller and sexier, but on the whole it's just an unnecessary move forward at this time, given how unprepared every facet of it's launch has been:

1.) Adapters aren't readily available
2.) Cables aren't readily available
3.) NO accessory support
4.) NO sign of third-party products before year end

And, come to find out that the cable lightning/30 pin adapter I had ordered, won't even work with my in-car iPod set up! I am basically required to spend $300 to update the accessory, when the system is hardly a few years old (Link). Apparently, the regular adapter, and the cable flavor of the adapter, are different in hardware and functionality. Furthermore, the cable variant's lightning end of the adapter is significantly larger than the standard lightning/USB cable, thus even the cable adapter is useless unless you go "naked" with your iPhone, as it won't fit most cases.

So I am stuck waiting for an adapter I can't even buy in a store or order online within a month, that will not work with my current accessory which is relatively new compared to most 30-pin accessories, that is too large to function with my case?

 

[kthnxshwn]

Is this a joke?

 

[daitalianjob]

thread worthy

 

[BlueGoldAce]

It's inconvenient for you, but not rushed. It was required to make the phone thinner, personally i like it. Yes it has its downside, but they are temporary.

You can't expect apple to solely base it products, and in this case keep an outdated design, for third party compatibility. These products are built to work with the iPhone, the iPhone is not built to work with them. That's just how the industry works.

The lightning is superior in everyway, minus third party support... And that will change.

 

[spblat]

Yes, it would have been better if adapters were widely available at launch. Yes, Apple took a gamble by making this switch.

And we have a choice. We don't have to buy the new stuff. I think most people who have bought the new stuff understand there will be a transition period. I'm impressed with the physical design of the connector, and I'm very impressed with what I know of its technical features. I'm inconvenienced by the lack of widespread availability of accessories and adapters, but that will come, and in the meantime I'm enjoying my iPhone 5.

 

[kwjohns]

Sounds like your purchase of the iPhone 5 was rushed and you need to practice better purchasing judgement if being an early adopter is such a stress for you.

 

[Eckscaliber]

I love the Lightning connector. I would take it over the 30-pin any day, no matter how long I need to wait for an adapter or a third party offering. I LOVE IT!!!!!

 

[Dwalls90]

I love the Lightning connector. I would take it over the 30-pin any day, no matter how long I need to wait for an adapter or a third party offering. I LOVE IT!!!!!

That's because you fail to recognize the point of the thread. It's not that "OMG LIGHTNING SUX OR RULEZ", it's that the adapters suck in fulfilling their purpose.

Sounds like your purchase of the iPhone 5 was rushed and you need to practice better purchasing judgement if being an early adopter is such a stress for you.

Sorry, for putting faith in the fact that Apple should have shipped these adapters at launch by early October. It's November for most shipping dates for adapters. Did I mention the two adapters Apple sells vary in functionality?

Yes, it would have been better if adapters were widely available at launch. Yes, Apple took a gamble by making this switch.

And we have a choice. We don't have to buy the new stuff. I think most people who have bought the new stuff understand there will be a transition period. I'm impressed with the physical design of the connector, and I'm very impressed with what I know of its technical features. I'm inconvenienced by the lack of widespread availability of accessories and adapters, but that will come, and in the meantime I'm enjoying my iPhone 5.

Good, so we're on the same page.

It's inconvenient for you, but not rushed. It was required to make the phone thinner, personally i like it. Yes it has its downside, but they are temporary.

You can't expect apple to solely base it products, and in this case keep an outdated design, for third party compatibility. These products are built to work with the iPhone, the iPhone is not built to work with them. That's just how the industry works.

The lightning is superior in everyway, minus third party support... And that will change.

Good, we are also on the same page, too.

My gripes aren't that Lightning in itself sucks, it's that the lack of support and confusion it's shrouded in, have left users like myself stuck or frustrated.

 

[maflynn]

Couldn't you make the same argument for iPhone 5 cases because the lack of 3rd party cases (which are no changing). I realize its a bit different with the cable and being proprietary but the same concept is there.

It was not rush, though quantities of the cable are constrained and there is a lack of 3rd party cables. This is in no way due to rushing this design out the door but tactical decisions by apple

 

[AJAAY]

Sounds like your purchase of the iPhone 5 was rushed and you need to practice better purchasing judgement if being an early adopter is such a stress for you.

But that wouldn't make them the first person on the block to have the new iPhone.

 

[zorinlynx]

It's inconvenient for you, but not rushed. It was required to make the phone thinner, personally i like it.

Sorry, but the thinner excuse does not fly. Several iPod Nano models were thinner than the iPhone 5, yet used the 30 pin connector.

Apple did have a good reason; the Lightning connector takes up less space inside the phone. But it had nothing to do with making it thinner. Check out the first generation iPod Nano and notice how thin it is; it's actually the same thickness as the 30 pin dock plug's housing!

 

[erratikmind]

Let's face it, there really are no new functions lightning brings that the 30-pin couldn't provide. Yes, it's smaller and sexier, but on the whole it's just an unnecessary move forward at this time, given how unprepared every facet of it's launch has been:

1.) Adapters aren't readily available
2.) Cables aren't readily available
3.) NO accessory support
4.) NO sign of third-party products before year end

And, come to find out that the cable lightning/30 pin adapter I had ordered, won't even work with my in-car iPod set up! I am basically required to spend $300 to update the accessory, when the system is hardly a few years old (Link). Apparently, the regular adapter, and the cable flavor of the adapter, are different in hardware and functionality. Furthermore, the cable variant's lightning end of the adapter is significantly larger than the standard lightning/USB cable, thus even the cable adapter is useless unless you go "naked" with your iPhone, as it won't fit most cases.

So I am stuck waiting for an adapter I can't even buy in a store or order online within a month, that will not work with my current accessory which is relatively new compared to most 30-pin accessories, that is too large to function with my case?

Sadly, the world offers no apologies for your predicament.

I trust that you eventually manage to find your way to a happier place.

 

[Rajani Isa]

As far as how new your stuff is - there would always be someone buying a new "X" that was made outdated due to the switch. I'm hoping the adapter works nice with my logitech speakers (great for when I have to open the store during the "not open yet" time )

 

[darngooddesign]

I agree that it was a botched launch, not because of the lack of speaker docks or accessories but due to the lack of adapters.

 

[golfgrouch]

Let's face it, there really are no new functions lightning brings that the 30-pin couldn't provide...

Read this article and you'll understand that it's a connector designed for the future. It is the future applications that the 30-pin can't provide...

The cable includes microchips. Incorporating chips into a cable takes much planning. I don't understand how that can be considered "rushed".

 

[Dwalls90]

Read this article and you'll understand that it's a connector designed for the future. It is the future applications that the 30-pin can't provide...

The cable includes microchips. Incorporating chips into a cable takes much planning. I don't understand how that can be considered "rushed".

Yea, and I quoted that same article in another thread.

But you know what? I don't care that my phone has an adapter that can "dynamically assign functionality to pins".

WHO CARES! I want an interface that works with my accessories that are hardly old. Or, if they're going to make an adapter, make it work properly, and ship it on time.

----------

Couldn't you make the same argument for iPhone 5 cases because the lack of 3rd party cases (which are no changing). I realize its a bit different with the cable and being proprietary but the same concept is there.

It was not rush, though quantities of the cable are constrained and there is a lack of 3rd party cables. This is in no way due to rushing this design out the door but tactical decisions by apple

I'm not sure what you're talking about. I have two great iPhone 5 cases sitting right here, both of which I was able to readily purchase within a month of launch ... more like a week or so.

 

[kalexn]

I love the Lightning connector. I would take it over the 30-pin any day, no matter how long I need to wait for an adapter or a third party offering. I LOVE IT!!!!!

ME TOO!! It feels so much more secure. The 30 pin could easily fall out or bend when plugged in and this one feels really snug. They had not updated it in years and they definitely needed to.

 

[Giuly]

When Sony comes out with an updated $80 cheap-ass car stereo with iPod connection, I'll upgrade.

Compare this to the $55 shipped price of the Lightning adapter cable.

In the meantime, headphone jack to aux in and a car mount to control the music is nice, as well. I assume that this costs me <$10.

 

[Cuthbert]

WHO CARES! I want an interface that works with my accessories that are hardly old. Or, if they're going to make an adapter, make it work properly, and ship it on time.

You should have waited then. There was tons of information on this. You dropped the ball, deal with it. Ignorance of the obvious is no excuse for your complaining.

 

[nabwong]

No one forced the OP to buy the iPhone 5. Return it.

 

[ZipZap]

It's inconvenient for you, but not rushed. It was required to make the phone thinner, personally i like it. Yes it has its downside, but they are temporary.

You can't expect apple to solely base it products, and in this case keep an outdated design, for third party compatibility. These products are built to work with the iPhone, the iPhone is not built to work with them. That's just how the industry works.

The lightning is superior in everyway, minus third party support... And that will change.

Inconvenient for everyone...and not required to make the phone thinner.

----------

Read this article and you'll understand that it's a connector designed for the future. It is the future applications that the 30-pin can't provide...

The cable includes microchips. Incorporating chips into a cable takes much planning. I don't understand how that can be considered "rushed".

How many times has apple designed for the future and then flopped (Thunderbolt, Firewire).

I get that this cable will likely be better but Apple's basic FU to customers is not an acceptable approach.

Its like stopping smoking cold turkey. Rarely works and not a good approach.

----------

ME TOO!! It feels so much more secure. The 30 pin could easily fall out or bend when plugged in and this one feels really snug. They had not updated it in years and they definitely needed to.

What?

Never had one bend or fall out. Stop buying cheapo cables.

 

[Giuly]

Inconvenient for everyone...and not required to make the phone thinner.

----------



How many times has apple designed for the future and then flopped (Thunderbolt, Firewire).

I get that this cable will likely be better but Apple's basic FU to customers is not an acceptable approach.

Its like stopping smoking cold turkey. Rarely works and not a good approach.

----------



What?

Never had one bend or fall out. Stop buying cheapo cables.

FireWire was sufficient for 10 years (and FW3200 would've been sufficient even longer), which is an eternity. One SSD however is faster than even FW3200.
eSATA is too bulky and not multi-purpose, hence Thunderbolt. It's not like USB 3.0 is on par with 6GBit/s SSDs, either.

The point here is that we will certainly see the Lightning to Thunderbolt cable, when any device has flash chips inside that are faster than USB 2.0, which shouldn't take that long actually.

If you remember, Thunderbolt (and Lightning) can actually use optical cables, and Thunderbolt is kinda line external PCIe, so that should make it both futureproof, unless somebody comes up with something better than PCIe.

 

[golfgrouch]

You should have waited then. There was tons of information on this. You dropped the ball, deal with it. Ignorance of the obvious is no excuse for your complaining.

Exactly. You vote with your dollars. By buying the iPhone 5 you are indirectly telling Apple that you support the lightning connector.

Return your iPhone 5 and you'll be voting for the 30-pin connector.

 

[VandyChem2009]

If you don't like it don't upgrade to the iPhone 5. No one is forcing you to move to the lightning adapter.

 

[darngooddesign]

Exactly. You vote with your dollars. By buying the iPhone 5 you are indirectly telling Apple that you support the lightning connector.

Return your iPhone 5 and you'll be voting for the 30-pin connector.

Exactly. I personally chose not to supprt the iPhone 4's antenna design, but I did support the 4S' antenna.