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iPhone XS Why does everyone want the death of Lightning?

S

scaramoosh

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 30, 2014
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First of all I hate USB-C, I hate how it a female connection where the board can break in the phone, Lightning is a male connection that is much better as the port in the phone is stronger. I also find the Lightning magnetic connection to be stronger, for whatever reason every woman I've ever known seems to break their cables.... while USB Breaks at the port, Apple's seems to break at where the cable connects to the male side as you plug it in. I dunno why women cannot look after their cables, but I'm much happier buying a new cable than buying a new port and having to take apart a phone.

The other problem I have with USB C is there seems to be massive compatibility issues. I dunno why, I haven't looked into it, but one size doesn't fit all when it comes to charging, for some reason USB C is very fussy and it has led to a lot off problems charging.

Finally I have more lightning devices than I do USB C, like everything I seem to buy still is Micro USB or lightning, USB C seems to have only become mainstream for high end devices in the past 2 years. Where still anything you'll buy at a low price uses Micro USB... so there is a real lack of USB C cables, where we have hundreds of lightning cables around.


I don't see the point in going to USB C, and I don't want it, no one ever uses the port for anything but charging, even then we're switching to wireless mostly now, so it isn't important anymore any ways.
 
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1. The USB C connector is male. The port is female and has been engineered to accept more insertions without breaking or loosening. It’s been engineered so that the cable fails before the port.

2. As something new there will initially be compatibility issues but that’s quickly being resolved. UBS C is universally popular yet, that’s not news, but it doesn’t follow that we shouldn’t move to it as soon as possible.
 
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I've never had a problem with the lightning port or a lightning cable myself, but I think it's because USB-C is becoming the standard. It's just easier if you have multiple devices to have the same charging cable for each of them. Right now it's kind of a mess, you may need a USB-C for your laptop, micro-USB for headphones and a lightning cable for your iPhone. If all devices just used USB-C it would be more convenient, in my opinion.
 
synonys said:
1. The USB C connector is male. The port is female and has been engineered to accept more insertions without breaking or loosening. It’s been engineered so that the cable fails before the port.

2. As something new there will initially be compatibility issues but that’s quickly being resolved. UBS C is universally popular yet, that’s not news, but it doesn’t follow that we shouldn’t move to it as soon as possible.
Click to expand...

The port on the device is not *entirely* female. The cable itself also houses a somewhat female end. Take a look at the port on your USB C device. You can see the connector and it’s most certainly male, at least in part.

I suspect that’s the weak part of the USB C devices, though I have no opinion on longevity.
 
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One cable for multiple devices.
The weak spot on the lightning cable results in the connector snapping off inside the device. USB-c gives you a fighting chance.
I would rather have everything usb-c than the current mix.
I never understood how micro usb has survived this long.
 
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I liked lightning when it came out but I think having standardization is nice. And I do like usb c.
 
I've never had any issues with lightning and I don't see what, if any, advantages USB-C will offer me. I know that it's been adopted by the iPad Pro and Macbook lines, but as a PC user it still seems far from mainstream for me. I own only one device with a USB-C port, my Nintendo Switch. I have far more lightning and traditional USB devices and accessories.

That being said, if the transition is going to happen eventually, and it seems that it is, I'm okay with pulling off the band-aid quickly and getting it over with. That is to say, I'm prepared to make the adjustment if the 2019 iPhones switch to USB-C, but I wouldn't be disappointed if they stick with lightning for one more year either.
 
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timeconsumer said:
I've never had a problem with the lightning port or a lightning cable myself, but I think it's because USB-C is becoming the standard.
Click to expand...

I've had problems with Lightning cables. The initial ones, especially Apple's, were not robust and didn't last very long unless you were very careful with them and even then, it was only a matter of time. At £15 a pop, they were ridiculously expensive considering their forerunners could be routinely had for £1 or even less. I have even had legitimate, reinforced 3rd party cables (The Griffin 3m in black) suddenly evoke the dreaded "cable unsupported" message and cease to function after not much use at all. I have no time for the Lightning connector or micro-USB. Both are flop technologies in my experience and their demise could not come soon enough for me. Here's hoping USB-C turns out to be somewhat more reliable. At least they aren't taking £15 out of my wallet every time.
 
Fast speeds are always better than what we have currently. Also having a new iPad Pro be nice to have all the same cables. Moving forward with tech I think USB C is needed
 
I actually have zero interest in USB-C, even if Apple makes the transition for the 2019 iPhone, so be it. But I actually like having lightning, because I do have so many cables, and obviously the devices that are lightning compatible in my household.
 
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I've heard that the EU is going to update their rule to require USB-C on all cell phones. The current rule I guess said they had to use Micro-USB or at least include an adapter for a Micro-USB cable, so Apple just included a Micro-USB to lightning adapter with the phones sold there. That supposedly won't be good enough with the new rule. I'm guessing this is causing Apple to go all in on USB-C and we will see all of their products updated with it over the next couple iterations.

Personally I prefer lightning, but I guess I would rather they just switch everything to USB-C instead of having a mix.
 
I've had problems with lightning cables. My work issued everyone with iPhone SEs, and about half of them didn't charge with the cables in the box; they didn't recognise there was a cable inserted at all. We mixed and matched until we each had a cable which worked with our individual devices, but didn't work with some of the others.

I can't really compare to USB C since I only have one device, which I've only had for a few weeks, but I definitely prefer it to micro USB, which you can feel bending when you insert the cable.
 
Spoon! said:
USB-C is the current standard on everything. Even Apple’s new iPad is USB-C. It’s going to happen ... hopefully sooner than later.
Click to expand...

I have the 2018 with several USB-C ports, so I will slowly be getting more USB-C cables. It will take years to transition my other devices over to that. 2 current iPhones and 2 iPads with lightning, and misc other devices with Micro USB.
 
I used to work in Cellular, and in my opinion the lightening port is a best one out there.

I saw so many different phones with USB-C with the male connector in the phone broken inside. The only issue I ever saw with the lightening port was not the port itself, but the cheap cables Apple makes and them shorting out right at the end.

USB-C may be a good standard, but they should have adopted a plug and port similar to the Lightening port.

Also, I dunno if some of you are on crack or what, but the port for USB-C in the phone is definitely Male, and the plug at the end of the cable is definitely Female. It's pretty much the same as a standard Micro-USB plug with a slightly different shape.
 
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kevink2 said:
I have the 2018 with several USB-C ports, so I will slowly be getting more USB-C cables. It will take years to transition my other devices over to that. 2 current iPhones and 2 iPads with lightning, and misc other devices with Micro USB.
Click to expand...
Apple doesn’t care about the transition. They get to sell more cables and adapters.
 
My issue is the other end of the cable - there are USB-A ports in cars, airplanes, airports, gyms and even people's home now. Sure if Apple goes USB-C, which I expect, I'll have to buy a whole bunch of new cables but if it is USB-C on both ends which it would need for faster charging then it will be a lot less useful and we'd have to have C-A connectors to use in so many places now. That is the end which I'm interested in.
 
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scaramoosh said:
First of all I hate USB-C, I hate how it a female connection where the board can break in the phone, Lightning is a male connection that is much better as the port in the phone is stronger. I also find the Lightning magnetic connection to be stronger, for whatever reason every woman I've ever known seems to break their cables.... while USB Breaks at the port, Apple's seems to break at where the cable connects to the male side as you plug it in. I dunno why women cannot look after their cables, but I'm much happier buying a new cable than buying a new port and having to take apart a phone.

The other problem I have with USB C is there seems to be massive compatibility issues. I dunno why, I haven't looked into it, but one size doesn't fit all when it comes to charging, for some reason USB C is very fussy and it has led to a lot off problems charging.

Finally I have more lightning devices than I do USB C, like everything I seem to buy still is Micro USB or lightning, USB C seems to have only become mainstream for high end devices in the past 2 years. Where still anything you'll buy at a low price uses Micro USB... so there is a real lack of USB C cables, where we have hundreds of lightning cables around.


I don't see the point in going to USB C, and I don't want it, no one ever uses the port for anything but charging, even then we're switching to wireless mostly now, so it isn't important anymore any ways.
Click to expand...
First of all I’m surprised some is against usb c. It’s one cable that cam handle many devices. The only con is old lighting accessories are useless.

Right now I’m loving the USB C train. I have a switch and iPad Pro. I haven’t even opened and used the pack in charger because I’ve been using the MacBook Pro USB charger.

I try to buy only usb c products at this point.
 
Beerstalker said:
I've heard that the EU is going to update their rule to require USB-C on all cell phones. The current rule I guess said they had to use Micro-USB or at least include an adapter for a Micro-USB cable, so Apple just included a Micro-USB to lightning adapter with the phones sold there. That supposedly won't be good enough with the new rule. I'm guessing this is causing Apple to go all in on USB-C and we will see all of their products updated with it over the next couple iterations.

Personally I prefer lightning, but I guess I would rather they just switch everything to USB-C instead of having a mix.
Click to expand...

There’s no micro USB adapter in EU iPhones...
 
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EM2013 said:
I’d rather have lightning. I have plenty of cables around the house and have no need for usb c.

Long live the lightning cable!
Click to expand...
Seriously having one cord for everything is pretty awesome! Bring it apple let’s go usb c
 
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