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Why USB-C to lightning though? If they are getting rid of power adapters in the box because everybody already supposedly has one then surely it needs to be a USB-A on the other end as I imagine very few people already have a USB-C power adapter or even a laptop with USB-C, yet most will have access to USB-A power adapters.

This stinks of a nickel and dime move, dropping the power brick “to prevent e-waste and be environmentally friendly” yet causing a crap ton more e-waste when people are forced to ditch their current USB-A adapters. Apple is clearly hoping that they will either sell you a USB-C power adapter or a USB-A to lightning Cable at the same time as buying the phone meaning more ££ for Apple.

I see your point. I’d bet that apple only gives a USB-C power supply and cable with the higher end iPhone 12 ”pro.” The other lesser models will most likely not come with any accessories at all.
 
Why USB-C to lightning though? If they are getting rid of power adapters in the box because everybody already supposedly has one then surely it needs to be a USB-A on the other end as I imagine very few people already have a USB-C power adapter or even a laptop with USB-C, yet most will have access to USB-A power adapters.

This stinks of a nickel and dime move, dropping the power brick “to prevent e-waste and be environmentally friendly” yet causing a crap ton more e-waste when people are forced to ditch their current USB-A adapters. Apple is clearly hoping that they will either sell you a USB-C power adapter or a USB-A to lightning Cable at the same time as buying the phone meaning more ££ for Apple.
Well no. I don’t know why people don’t get this. Give it more than just 5 seconds of thought.

The people who already have the power adapter.... already have a lightning cable!

If you are a person who would like a new fast charging adapter or switching to iPhone, you get the latest cable standard in the box.

This gets USB-C cables into people hands, making us slowly able to move away from USB-A.
 
Got a feeling the iPhone 12 “pro” will ship with a USB-C power supply as well as a USB-C to lightening cable. The other less expensive iPhones will most likely ship without any accessories at all. We shall see.
 
Is it just me, or does the lightning connector on the black cable look like it's burnt, like from contact sparking or such?
 
Well no. I don’t know why people don’t get this. Give it more than just 5 seconds of though.

The people who already have the power adapter.... already have a lightning cable!

If you are a person who would like a new fast charging adapter or switching to iPhone, you get the latest cable standard in the box.

This gets USB-C cables into people hands, making ua slowly able to move away from USB-A.
Android switchers don’t have lightning cables though do they? Childs first iPhone they wont have a lightning cable will they?
 
Why USB-C to lightning though? If they are getting rid of power adapters in the box because everybody already supposedly has one then surely it needs to be a USB-A on the other end as I imagine very few people already have a USB-C power adapter or even a laptop with USB-C, yet most will have access to USB-A power adapters.

This stinks of a nickel and dime move, dropping the power brick “to prevent e-waste and be environmentally friendly” yet causing a crap ton more e-waste when people are forced to ditch their current USB-A adapters. Apple is clearly hoping that they will either sell you a USB-C power adapter or a USB-A to lightning Cable at the same time as buying the phone meaning more ££ for Apple.
Very true. That said, the people with USB-A adapters also have a shedload of USB-A to lightning cables, I expect. I am surprised they are including a cable at all to be honest. I don't really see the point in that.
 
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Well no. I don’t know why people don’t get this. Give it more than just 5 seconds of thought.

The people who already have the power adapter.... already have a lightning cable!

If you are a person who would like a new fast charging adapter or switching to iPhone, you get the latest cable standard in the box.

This gets USB-C cables into people hands, making us slowly able to move away from USB-A.
In fact my mother in law is prime example she has just upgraded to an SE from an iPhone 4S so she didn’t have a lightning cable to begin with but she had a USB-A charger. Now if the SE came without a power brick and with only a USB-C to Lightning then she would be having to pay extra for an accessory that should be in the damned box. She could have used her existing adapter so removing that from the box is no big deal, but changing the cable as well is just greed.
 
Android switchers don’t have lightning cables though do they? Childs first iPhone they wont have a lightning cable will they?

They get one in the box.... did you read the post?
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In fact my mother in law is prime example she has just upgraded to an SE from an iPhone 4S so she didn’t have a lightning cable to begin with but she had a USB-A charger. Now if the SE came without a power brick and with only a USB-C to Lightning then she would be having to pay extra for an accessory that should be in the damned box. She could have used her existing adapter so removing that from the box is no big deal, but changing the cable as well is just greed.

Your mother in law is part of a very tiny majority of customers.
 
I can never figure out what people do to these cables to break them. I have had 1, maybe 2 at most, break since 2007.
Funny you should ask that. Nothing different. I have a 6 port Aukey Charger which I bought in 2016. I always have 2 USB-C cables, 1 Micro-Usb and for 2 years now the Lightning Cable in the charger. All other cables are like new, the iPad cable is the only one that has tape around the plastic thing.
 
Yeah remove the adapter for sure, but keep a USB-A cable in the box or put an adapter so that the USB-C cable can be used with the multitude of USB-A ports most households have access to. Then when more people have access to USB-C ports like they do with USB-A ports then change the connector. They did this when they removed the headphone port they gave a little dongle so that people could still use their existing headphones, and when wireless headphones became more mainstream and cheaper to buy they ditched the dongle. They may do that again by including a USB-A Male - USB-C female in the box so you can stick that on the new cable to work with older chargers but I doubt it.

Right now removing the adapter and changing the default charger connector stinks of greed And an attempt to get you to buy overpriced Apple cables and chargers when you have just dropped a huge amount on the phone.
Perhaps, but I would also say it appears to be in line with their goal to become carbon neutral by 2030.


If there ever was a good opportunity for Apple to rethink existing iPhone packaging to remove certain accessories from the iPhone box (namely the power adapters and wired headphones) in order to eliminate waste and reduce the carbon footprint, now would be the time. USB-C to lightning cable makes sense when you consider that iPhones have supported fast charging since 2017, just that they never came bundled with the requisite accessories. If you are stuck with only USB-A chargers, you can always get a USB-C charger or an adaptor, and it doesn't even have to be from Apple.

This would also allow Apple to shrink the packaging and reduce transport costs. In this context, it runs counter to their goal to include optional accessories that not everyone is going to need.

I am also going to assume that the cost savings would go towards partially offsetting the higher costs of designing and manufacturing future iPhones.

Then, there is also Appele's not-so-secret vision of a wireless future. There is no room for wires in a wearables world. By removing EarPods and power adapters from iPhone boxes in 2020, Apple will be in a better position to remove the need for charging cables altogether in the future.
 
Well, it is ... on one end :D

Assuming your mean on the device itself, I'm leaning towards not seeing a USB-C port on iPhones, that Apple will go from Lightning to wireless (with possibly some sort of mag-like connection when you need to use the device while charging).
The craziest part to me is that they're rumored to drop the charging brick and change from USB-A to C.

Dropping the charging brick made sense when the rationale is that we'd already built up collections of compatible bricks over the years.
 
Yeah a USB-C lightning cable which they plug into what if they are removing the adapter as well. The lower end android phones still comes with USB-A - USB-C cables so they would only have a USB-A charger thus still requiring extra money to be spent.

I suspect Apple will sell the adapter at a low price meaning it’s still a cheap expense if you really it.

The environmental impacts are huge and not just manufacturing. Shipping as well becomes easier to ship more phones in the same space. Trucking ect. All saved in emissions.

I personally bought a wireless charger back when I got my iPhone X. I will basically not need to upgrade unless it dies.
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Why on Earth would one have a cable protector and the other colour wouldn’t?

When you’re shipping 70 million phones that small change could be saving a few million dollars.
 
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Yeah remove the adapter for sure, but keep a USB-A cable in the box or put an adapter so that the USB-C cable can be used with the multitude of USB-A ports most households have access to. Then when more people have access to USB-C ports like they do with USB-A ports then change the connector. They did this when they removed the headphone port they gave a little dongle so that people could still use their existing headphones, and when wireless headphones became more mainstream and cheaper to buy they ditched the dongle. They may do that again by including a USB-A Male - USB-C female in the box so you can stick that on the new cable to work with older chargers but I doubt it.

Right now removing the adapter and changing the default charger connector stinks of greed And an attempt to get you to buy overpriced Apple cables and chargers when you have just dropped a huge amount on the phone.

USB-A needs to die, full stop. Lightning does too, but I'd rather have 1 legacy cable end than 2.
 
These do exist already of course and I bought 3 I think. Charges our second generation SEs and the XS in about half an hour from the Macbook charger. 2m, braided, cost around $15 mine were made by ESR, available in black or silver and up to 3mtrs available. I have checked Amazon USA and they are available.
 
Removing any official yet required accessories (chargers, cables) will only prompt users to get the cheapest option available. This can mean cheap and unsafe chargers and cables. Will Apple be ready for the support issues? Will they be willing to provide warranty if the iPhone is charged with a non-Apple charger?

As for braided cables, there are plenty of cheap braided lightning cables from China.
 
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It's about time. Apple's lightning cables are an embarrassment for a premium device. I've been using Anker PowerLine+ II cables for years, and they are fantastic, cost less than Apple cables, and have a lifetime warranty.

Embarrassment? Such drama. I've been using them since the first iPhone. And have never had one fail.
 
Why USB-C to lightning though? If they are getting rid of power adapters in the box because everybody already supposedly has one then surely it needs to be a USB-A on the other end as I imagine very few people already have a USB-C power adapter or even a laptop with USB-C, yet most will have access to USB-A power adapters.

USB-C is new the standard and eventually the old USB-A ends will be gone. USB-C also replaced the micro connector you found on most smart devices, except for Apple of course. New smart phones and tablets use the new standard over the old micro plug, plus the Nintendo Switch uses it as well; plus I believe the PS5 and Xbox Series X will have USB-C as well. It's just a matter of time before PC manufacturers do aways with USB-A ports in all laptops like Apple, so that's why we're seeing these cord.

Hell, I thought it was incredibly cool the original Pixel (work phone) used USB-C entirely. You had a USB-C power brick and two different cords (USB-C both ends and USB-C to USB-A).
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Removing any official yet required accessories (chargers, cables) will only prompt users to get the cheapest option available. This can mean cheap and unsafe chargers and cables. Will Apple be ready for the support issues? Will they be willing to provide warranty if the iPhone is charged with a non-Apple charger?

As for braided cables, there are plenty of cheap braided lightning cables from China.

As long as they have the MFi sticker on them, Apple stands behind the manufacturer and quality of the cable you bought. So, yes, as long as you have that official MFi seal.
 
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I don't really know if there is any evidence that braided cables are any better or any more durable when compared to non-braided cables? But I do agree that they often feel and look better.

I have some Anker braided USB-A til Micro-USB cables for charging my PlayStation 4 controllers, Xbox One controllers etc.. They are certainly not the nicest cables in the word but they do the job. I also have some Anker USB-A to USB-C and they are pretty much the same.

I purchased some Native Union braided cables that I use for mye Apple 29W chargers, some USB-C to USB-C and some USB-C to Lightning and they look and feels really nice. I didn't really have any complaints about Apple's USB-C to Lightning cables either, they always felt thicker and more durable when compared to their USB-A to Lightning cables. But also the USB-A to Lightning felt thicker and more durable as soon as you went for the 2 m version of the cable.


The one thing I do not really enjoy with braided cables are how they tend to get "dents". It doesn't take long until braided cables don't look flush anymore. They will have various "bumps" along the cable after you've used them for a while. It's nothing wrong with the cable and it's quality but you will have a hard time keeping them looking pristine over time for sure.

I can't even begin to imagine how dirty that white braided cable will start to look in no time. I'd bet it collect dust like there is no tomorrow. The ones in plastic start to get grey and dirty after a while, but as the braided ones should collect dust that much faster.
 
The craziest part to me is that they're rumored to drop the charging brick and change from USB-A to C.

Dropping the charging brick made sense when the rationale is that we'd already built up collections of compatible bricks over the years.

It's subliminal marketing, that you have to go out buy one of these iPhone chargers:

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:D

You're totally right, only very recent Pro iPhone models (and iPads) were packaged with a USB-C brick, so this is odd timing to leave it out now. I mean I suppose, we all also have a ton of Lightning cables sitting around too, so I would imagine most upgraders will have it covered (doesn't make it any less of a head scratcher ...)
 
Is it just me, or does the lightning connector on the black cable look like it's burnt, like from contact sparking or such?
I noticed that too, the color might scrape off or is just not dark/consistent enough to look smooth. Gives a strange appearance
 
USB-C is new the standard and eventually the old USB-A ends will be gone. USB-C also replaced the micro connector you found on most smart devices, except for Apple of course. New smart phones and tablets use the new standard over the old micro plug, plus the Nintendo Switch uses it as well; plus I believe the PS5 and Xbox Series X will have USB-C as well. It's just a matter of time before PC manufacturers do aways with USB-A ports in all laptops like Apple, so that's why we're seeing these cord.

Hell, I thought it was incredibly cool the original Pixel (work phone) used USB-C entirely. You had a USB-C power brick and two different cords (USB-C both ends and USB-C to USB-A).
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As long as they have the MiFi sticker on them, Apple stands behind the manufacturer and quality of the cable you bought. So, yes, as long as you have that official MiFi seal.

Oh I agree that USB-A needs to die off and USB-C needs to happen, however right now seems just a little too early. In a couple of years time when cheap laptops go USB-C and consoles and TV’s all move to C then it would make sense.

A small USB-A Male - Female USB-C dongle in the box until then would be the best of both worlds.

USB-A charging for those who still rely on the old standard which is most of us right now and then USB-C for plugging into the next generation of laptops and stuff. Then when USB-C hits a higher adoption rate drop the dongle kinda like what they did with the lightning to headphone dongle.

Doing that would cost a tiny amount to Apple in the grand scheme of things but would go down much better with consumers who are already going to be spending upwards of £750 on a new iPhone, they don’t want to be spending another £20 on a USB-A to Lightning or £30 for a USB-C power brick. Obviously upgraders wouldn’t need to worry but people who are moving from a budget or older android phone or first time buyers of a phone in general will be the ones hit with the extra costs.
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USB-A needs to die, full stop. Lightning does too, but I'd rather have 1 legacy cable end than 2.
Now I own a USB-C iPad I totally agree, it’s a much more versatile port.

In an ideal world with Mac transitioning to Apple silicon this could be an amazing thing. Imagine a USB-C iPhone that just by plugging in a USB-C dock and connecting to a monitor or TV could become a Mac Mini.

The iPad is well on the way already to becoming a MacBook with the Magic Keyboard.

However the rumours are Apple wants the iPhone portless in future which absolutely sucks as I quite often use the lightning to USB adapter to hook up my Bass guitar to garage band.

Right now with Apple silicon they are in a place to do some amazing things but I doubt they will allow iPhones to take away Mac Mini sales and iPads to take away MacBook sales anytime soon.
 
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