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or it really is an inventory clearance event…

Sales of iMacs were likely slow for some time now given the old chip so the I guess the thinking is announce a new model, sales will increase and you can get rid of the remaining stock of lightning accessories.

Who knows what they've got planned for the mouse and keyboards. You would guess at some point in the next year they will want to move to USB C and maybe they will have a major revision of them to launch with an updated Mac Studio or something and these will then quietly come to the iMac.
 
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Sales of iMacs were likely slow for some time now given the old chip so the I guess the thinking is announce a new model, sales will increase and you can get rid of the remaining stock of lightning accessories.

Who knows what they've got planned for the mouse and keyboards. You would guess at some point in the next year they will want to move to USB C and maybe they will have a major revision of them to launch with an updated Mac Studio or something and these will then quietly come to the iMac.

I can see a change to the charging port being aligned to an overall redesign or change.
 
We are still over a year from the EU deadline, so Apple still has time to comply with the new legislation. And the EU already won with iPhone, it's a much bigger win than the Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad
And Apple wouldn’t have to change the existing keyboards and mice as it’s only new products that need to have USBC for charging after the deadline for that product category.
 
On accessories like external trackpads and keyboards, they definitely should. USB-C makes the most sense on these accessories
not just to change the port, no

and for the mouse, makes more sense to add wireless charging along with a port
 
not just to change the port, no

and for the mouse, makes more sense to add wireless charging along with a port
Fair enough for wireless charging, although I don't see Apple implementing that anytime soon.

But iMac is bundled with Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse/Trackpad, so changing the port makes no difference for the customer, they will get the accessories anyway
 
Slow, iterative updates is how Apple makes their money. They learned a very important lesson with the original HomePod. If you put all the bleeding-edge features in a device, there is no clear upgrade path. With the peripherals, there is a clear upgrade path - adding USB-C at a later time.
 
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Slow, iterative updates is how Apple makes their money. They learned a very important lesson with the original HomePod. If you put all the bleeding-edge features in a device, there is no clear upgrade path. With the peripherals, there is a clear upgrade path - adding USB-C at a later time.
Adding a USBC charging port to a keyboard or mouse isn’t an upgrade.
 
I honestly do not care. For all you need to plug these things in, they could use SCART cables for all I care.
 
and for the mouse, makes more sense to add wireless charging along with a port
Rather than wireless charging, which is inefficient and requires a lot of special hardware, both the mouse and keyboard could easily sip up energy from a few small solar cells. They're very low power products, and ambient lighting while sitting unused is plenty to keep the batteries topped-off.

Logitech used to make a solar keyboard which was great. And I think Samsung is putting a small solar cell into some of their TV removes these days. For small lower-power accessories like this, solar is the way to go.
 
I mean, it's an easy solution. Don't by any accessory or iMac until Apple updates everything to USB-C. No one is putting a gun to your head.
 
I said 'just to change the port'

new AirPods Pro have support for lossless audio and iPhone obviously has more than just a port change

keep going though
Lossless audio for a device that doesn’t exist and most people won’t be purchasing? Are you grasping at straws?

Talk to anyone about the new iPhones. The number one feature everyone loves is the usb c port.
 
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Lossless audio for a device that doesn’t exist and most people won’t be purchasing? Are you grasping at straws?

Talk to anyone about the new iPhones. The number one feature everyone loves is the usb c port.
Yep, I love it and after getting the new usb-c tv remote im pissed off that the only lightning thing i have left is their stupid keyboard.
 
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I was just wondering

who here has a M1 iMac?

if yes,
do you really feel the lightning is that much of a hindrance?

My goal this year was to replace or avoid lightning and usb "a" connections
so far i have, thanks to wireless charging for iPhone and AirPods
even the  pencil get the usbC lighting adapter.
this was for convince not that lighting is all that bad.
the cable is still fast, the plug reversible and light.
a huge upgrade form the 32 pin connectors I still today use for 3 iPods.

so we should cut  some slack over this, perhaps they did not sell enough of them in the m1 sereis
and feel like they will work with the M3?
 
The lightening connector format is Apple proprietary. Apple [is supposed to] a royalty commission on each lightening port sold. [I am not sure if they collect one for the connectors too]. Although there is rampant component part piracy. USB is a royalty free format. Small commission from millions of lightening units is still a meaning number. I think, That is more likely the reason than inventory surpluses.

Current “just in time” manufacturing practices makes it seem unlikely that there would be many months of surplus components just sitting around. And Apple and Foxconn are the poster child for “just in time” manufacturing
 
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