Thunderbolt for iPhone

[kvizzel]

Do you guys seeing this happen?

Thunderbolt can do what the iPhone port can do plus so much more.

All I can see is the positives.

 

[profets]

I assume you meant Thunderbolt?

Good question.. I would think eventually Apple would start moving all iDevices toward having a thunderbolt connection. Then again, they're also moving to making them PC independent.

 

[troop231]

If Apple can manage to integrate Thunderbolt into the current dock connector while maintaing backwards legacy usb, then it would be a win-win scenario as 3rd party accessories would still fit and work.

 

[kvizzel]

Oh yeah thunderbolt

 

[bagelche]

When they first announced the standard a few years ago, I was really excited about this possibility. I think it will come, but not this year, maybe not even next. There's the issue of the connector and of ubiquity among others.

 

[hitekalex]

And here we have yet another "Thunderbolt iPhone" thread..

For the Nth time: Thunderbolt is an extension of Intel PCI bus architecture, and is designed for computers. Thunderbolt is NOT designed for an ultra-low-power ARM-based mobile devices, such as iPhone and iPad. There will never be Thunderbolt (as we know it today) port in an iPhone.

 

[DESNOS]

And here we have yet another "Thunderbolt iPhone" thread..

For the Nth time: Thunderbolt is an extension of Intel PCI bus architecture, and is designed for computers. Thunderbolt is NOT designed for an ultra-low-power ARM-based mobile devices, such as iPhone and iPad. There will never be Thunderbolt (as we know it today) port in an iPhone.

Pretty sure they mean dock connector to thunderbolt...

EDIT: At least some of them. I don't know about the OP though.

 

[paulrbeers]

Let's also not forget that the speed of the flash memory in idevices is most likely fairly slow therefore wouldn't see any benefit with a connection via thunderbolt and ARM based architectures are not powerful enough yet to be used as a desktop (a la the motorola phone that had a laptop "dock" that failed miserably)

 

[hitekalex]

Pretty sure they mean dock connector to thunderbolt...

EDIT: At least some of them. I don't know about the OP though.

Pretty sure the OP wants the "native" Thunderbolt port on an iPhone.

As to the 30-pin dock to Thunderbolt converter cable - that might technically be possible, but I just don't see why anyone would want to waste an expensive TP port to connect an iPhone to.. Any computer with TP port also has USB ports, and those aren't going away.

TP ports are intended for ultra high-bandwidth applications - storage arrays, HD displays, 10Gb networking, etc. They aren't intended for cell phone syncing.

 

[admanimal]

I think a lack of any port whatsoever (and inductive charging, of course) in future designs is more likely than a Thunderbolt port. They are clearly making a move toward wireless/cloud everything.

 

[DESNOS]

I think a lack of any port whatsoever (and inductive charging, of course) in future designs is more likely than a Thunderbolt port. They are clearly making a move toward wireless/cloud everything.

I agree. This is most likely.

 

[edk99]

Your more likely to see USB3 support then to ever see thunderbolt support. There is really no reason for that kind technology on a mobile device. USB3 would be more then enough for any syncing needs.

 

[Agent-P]

I think a lack of any port whatsoever (and inductive charging, of course) in future designs is more likely than a Thunderbolt port. They are clearly making a move toward wireless/cloud everything.

This is also what I think will happen. But really I'm all for it. It'll make things convenient plus it removes the biggest collector of dust on the entire device (unless you have a dock connector cover).

 

[bagelche]

For arguments sake, I'd say many of you are too limited in your thinking. Why would we want something like Thunderbolt in an iPhone? Because iDevices are so much more than just phones. Heck, I hear we're living in a post-PC world anyhow. With as powerful and capable as these things are getting, why shouldn't they hang out and communicate on the one port to rule them all?

Thunderbolt peripherals are rare now and the cable is expensive. These factors will reduce over time. Forget price and forget current market penetration of Thunderbolt. Forget phones.

I think the only significant challenge to a Thunderbolt-ubiquitous future in the ecosystem is the obsession over wireless and living in the cloud. They can coexist, but likely the iDevices will hang out where wires do not.

 

[hitekalex]

I think the only significant challenge to a Thunderbolt-ubiquitous future in the ecosystem is the obsession over wireless and living in the cloud. They can coexist, but likely the iDevices will hang out where wires do not.

Do you think it might have something to do with iGadgets being mobile devices first and foremost? Being mobile and tethered to wires are two fundamentally contradictory things.

My perfect iPhone is the one I never have to plug in to a PC. With iOS 5 finally supporting WiFi syncing, OTA upgrades, and WiFi display mirroring - we are nearly there.

Even if ThunderBolt on iPhone was technically possible (which it isn't) - I couldn't care less about it.

 

[bagelche]

Do you think it might have something to do with iGadgets being mobile devices first and foremost? Being mobile and tethered to wires are two fundamentally contradictory things.

My perfect iPhone is the one I never have to plug in to a PC. With iOS 5 finally supporting WiFi syncing, OTA upgrades, and WiFi display mirroring - we are nearly there.

I never said anything about plugging it into a PC, but there are lots of other devices out there. I'm all for as few wires as possible, in general, but there are still issues for which wired can be better like privacy concerns, bandwidth limitations and protocol differences amongst others.

I remember as a kid in the mid-80s hearing that everything in Japan was already wireless or soon-to-be. We're not quite there yet, but we are getting closer.

Even if ThunderBolt on iPhone was technically possible (which it isn't) - I couldn't care less about it.

I don't need reality in my fantasies, thanks!