Second-Generation AirPods Pro Charging Case Expected to Stick With Lightning Port

[Channan]

I never really cared about Lightning vs. USB-C even after I got my 2018 iPad Pro 11. It wasn’t a huge deal to have to use Lightning for my phones and AirPods, and Lightning for my iPad and occasionally something else. But now that all of my USB-C devices and accessories are really starting to add up and I have so many cables for everything, I’m tired of having to use two separate cables for everything. It wouldn’t be as big of a deal if Apple used Lightning for all of their devices, but since they use two different cables now, I’m fully in the “Apple should switch the iPhone to USB-C” camp now.

 

[Vangeli]

Some points are made. But I don't feel inconvenienced. Nor do I believe sticking with lightning on airpods pro 2 is anti-competitive. In fact, it's better for the environment if they don't include a cable.

I’ve never plugged my AirPods in; always gone wireless charging.

 

[I7guy]

I’ve never plugged my AirPods in; always gone wireless charging.

There are those that argue (not me), that wireless charging should be removed from all devices due to it's inherent wastefulness. (specious argument imo)

 

[Bitácora]

As soon as Apple adopted USB-C for the iPad, I expected everything else to go that way with its next iteration. Having finally made that first step, I really don't understand why Apple are still clinging on to Lightning.

Probably a serious reason will be because USB-C is a universal standard, Lighting is an Apple standard. if Belkin, Amazon, and so on, for example, wants to make a Lighting cable, you have to pay Apple, with USB-C you do not. Royalties rule.

 

[cocky jeremy]

But this is the whole point. I think we can all agree Lightning is a dying port. Apple even pioneered USB-C on laptops back in 2015. Sticking with Lightning for no reason is just frustrating. And in my experience wireless charging is painfully slow on the AirPods Pro.

How is it frustrating? It's just a cable. Use whatever is needed and be done with it. If you're bothered by a cable, congrats, you have too much time on your hands.

 

[44267547]

Not really a big deal, I only charge my APP case using wireless.

Yeah, and eventually I could see Apple in the long distant future, eliminating the port altogether, where it’s only charged wirelessly. We’re not there yet, but I think that eventually will trickle down to accessory products, and then the iPhone at some point.

 

[Greenmeenie]

Why Apple why? Just switch over to USB-C already. This is getting ridiculous.

 

[mrat93]

Some points are made. But I don't feel inconvenienced. Nor do I believe sticking with lightning on airpods pro 2 is anti-competitive. In fact, it's better for the environment if they don't include a cable.

The sooner Apple adopts USB-C in iPhone, the sooner everybody can stop including cables altogether. Apple sticking with Lightning for another year just means one more year of Lightning waste being brought into the world.

Assume Apple, today, switches everything over to USB-C. Every iPhone, iPad, Mac, and accessory now charges via USB-C.

In 5 years, including a cable with a device or USB accessory will be considered a waste. Why would anything come with a cable if everybody already uses the same cable? How many people are like me with a bin full of never-to-be-used, crappy micro-USB and USB-C cables (and Apple’s Lightning cables which I stopped using because they are the worst value Lightning cables you can get.)

 

[mrat93]

Yeah, and eventually I could see Apple in the long distant future, eliminating the port altogether, where it’s only charged wirelessly. We’re not there yet, but I think that eventually will trickle down to accessory products, and then the iPhone at some point.

Can’t wait for Apple to be like, “you know those cheap USB-C cables you love so much? Well get ready to buy all-new cables that only work with your Apple devices, are less durable, and cost 5x the price.”

Sure, you lose high-speed USB charging and data from all of your existing cables, but you get wireless charging!

 

[mrat93]

Particularly annoying that they haven’t upgraded it with a built-in AirTag yet. I just lost my AirPods Pro in the last week and I have zero hope of finding them at this point?

Do I buy a new pair and bring a new never-to-be-used Lightning cable into the world?

 

[44267547]

Why Apple why? Just switch over to USB-C already. This is getting ridiculous.

Everybody knows Apple is slow to transition to change. I don’t think ‘ridiculous’ describes the situation accurately, but I still think the majority of consumers have no problem with lightning, except for like a small demographic that actually ‘need’ to have USB-C now.

 

[I7guy]

The sooner Apple adopts USB-C in iPhone, the sooner everybody can stop including cables altogether. Apple sticking with Lightning for another year just means one more year of Lightning waste being brought into the world.

Assume Apple, today, switches everything over to USB-C. Every iPhone, iPad, Mac, and accessory now charges via USB-C.

In 5 years, including a cable with a device or USB accessory will be considered a waste. Why would anything come with a cable if everybody already uses the same cable? How many people are like me with a bin full of never-to-be-used, crappy micro-USB and USB-C cables (and Apple’s Lightning cables which I stopped using because they are the worst value Lightning cables you can get.)

There will never be that nirvana of one connector. Apple (and other manufacturers) should stop including cables with products period. That would stop e-waste. USB-C is still a hot mess and the issues are insidious due to incompatibilities the user of the cable doesn't know about.

 

[paulovsouza]

We’re getting to a point where keeping lighting isn’t environmentally conscious like Apple is claiming. Everything is now basically USB-C, so when a lighting cable breaks, having to buy a new one instead of using the now more common USB-C cable is being counterintuitive.

 

[SactoGuy18]

In a way, I'm not surprised. Especially considering the number of iPhones out there already, Apple does not want to deal with customers being forced to buy USB Type C connector cables just for the AirPods Pro. The Beats Studio Buds and Beats Fit Pro use USB Type C connectors because these headphones are intended also for Android users.

 

[I7guy]

We’re getting to a point where keeping lighting isn’t environmentally conscious like Apple is claiming. Everything is now basically USB-C, so when a lighting cable breaks, having to buy a new one instead of using the now more common USB-C cable is being counterintuitive.

So breaking a lightning cable results in e-waste, but breaking a usb-c cable does not?

 

[Macative]

They adopted it on the iPad solely to make the device more competitive / usable against PCs.

USB-C is a total ****-show when it comes to cables and standards.

I don't why people pretend like this is not the case. Despite the "single connector" USB-C is an unmitigated disaster. There are more than a dozen different specs for a USB-C cable. There is no way of knowing why abilities the one you hold in your hand has.

 

[Macative]

We’re getting to a point where keeping lighting isn’t environmentally conscious like Apple is claiming. Everything is now basically USB-C, so when a lighting cable breaks, having to buy a new one instead of using the now more common USB-C cable is being counterintuitive.

That's laughably absurd. USB-C is no where near as common as people on tech blogs pretend it is.

 

[Macative]

It is getting annoying to have a mix of lightning and USB-C cables all over the place.

 

[blazerunner]

Courage, right?

 

[mrat93]

There will never be that nirvana of one connector. Apple (and other manufacturers) should stop including cables with products period. That would stop e-waste. USB-C is still a hot mess and the issues are insidious due to incompatibilities the user of the cable doesn't know about.

One connector altogether — sure. But Apple going all-in with USB-C will get us pretty close.

But right now, if you’re selling, say, a USB-C battery pack, you don’t know if the user is an iPhone user or Android. It would be foolish to not include a cable, as it’s feasible that a hefty portion of buyers might not have a USB-C cable handy.

Same with Lightning. If Apple drops the packaged cables now, then people switching from Android will need to buy a new cable.

And you’re right about USB-C being a relative mess, HOWEVER, those issues likely wouldn’t apply to the median user. Most cables have more than enough power transfer capability, and extremely few users will ever need to worry about wired data transfer.

 

[NightFox]

How is it frustrating? It's just a cable...

It's frustrating because it's just another cable you need to swap out, have sat on your desk or remember to take with you when travelling.

 

[mrat93]

That's laughably absurd. USB-C is no where near as common as people on tech blogs pretend it is.

This comment is certified laughably absurd.

 

[usagora]

Meh

 

[MrMojo1]

Because Apple hates to admit when they're wrong. They'd rather the EU pass a law that requires it, so they can frame it as "well, we unfortunately had to give up on our Lightning port because of that", rather than because following the rest of industry was really just better than using their own custom solution.

It's not that Apple hates to admit when it's wrong, it's just that Apple don't want to lose a revenue stream from selling the related Lightning accessories.
Also, Apple could've upgrading the Lightning cable's speed from USB 2.x to USB 3.x, years ago, but it won't, as that would've really inconvenienced the millions of iPhone users to upgrade the Lightning cables. One would've thought that Apple would've upgraded the Lightning cable's speed since it's obvious that Apple upgraded the iPhone over time for the ability to do things like better video capture from 720p -> 1080p -> 4K format. The video transfer speed over Lightning is horrendous.

 

[paulovsouza]

So breaking a lightning cable results in e-waste, but breaking a usb-c cable does not?

I’m saying we’re getting to the point we will have more USB-C cables around. So we can use the ones we already have. Instead of replacing. Sorry I thought I was clear in what I wrote.