Will iPhone ever adopt standard Micro-USB for environmental purposes?

[thinkdesign]

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It's been reported widely for years... millions of perfectly good cell-phone charging bricks go into LANDFILLS every year when people get new phones.

So a group of cell phone makers have voluntarily adopted the micro-USB jack as a standard they'll all be in synch with by, I think it's either 2011 or 2012.

AFAIK, Apple's been silent on this.

For a company priding itself on environmental standards, "This does not compute".

----

If* Apple would get with the program by adding a Micro-USB jack (and charging voltage needs to match the standard, not precisely, but close)... as someone who worked a lifetime in the design biz, I think we might have a chance of eventually seeing restaurant designs that INCLUDE the voluntary-standard type charging cords, at some of the tables.

* I say "If", because... how can one convince a restaurant manager to even consider this, if one nanosecond later -- his retort can be: "60% of my customers are carrying iPhones, and that 'standard' plug doesn't with iPhones."


Come on Apple, get with the program!

 

[Icaras]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) Sprint PPC6850SP)

It's been reported widely for years... millions of perfectly good cell-phone charging bricks go into LANDFILLS every year when people get new phones.

So a group of cell phone makers have voluntarily adopted the micro-USB jack as a standard they'll all be in synch with by, I think it's either 2011 or 2012.

AFAIK, Apple's been silent on this.

For a company priding itself on environmental standards, "This does not compute".

----

If* Apple would get with the program by adding a Micro-USB jack (and charging voltage needs to match the standard, not precisely, but close)... as someone who worked a lifetime in the design biz, I think we might have a chance of eventually seeing restaurant designs that INCLUDE the voluntary-standard type charging cords, at some of the tables.

* I say "If", because... how can one convince a restaurant manager to even consider this, if one nanosecond later -- his retort can be: "60% of my customers are carrying iPhones, and that 'standard' plug doesn't with iPhones."


Come on Apple, get with the program!

Why does Apple have to act? Their dock connector to USB cable works with any iPhone, iPod Classic, iPod Nano, the iPod 5th Generation, and the iPad models?

You're saying that if 60% of customers are using Apple products, they are not using the 'standard' plug? I don't understand this logic, as I see the 'standard' as the one interface being used by the majority of electronics devices. And since you arbitrarily think that the majority of electronic devices in the hands of consumers are using Apple products, then wouldn't the dock connector to USB be the 'standard' connector used?

Forget the arbitrary 60% even. The fact that the USB to dock connector works in the majority of Apple iDevices is obviously a clear effort by Apple to reduce power bricks and toxic waste disposal of their electronics.

Edit: And it really doesn't even have to end there, as you can easily buy a USB to Micro USB adapter:
http://www.amazon.com/USB-Micro-Fem...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1276381174&sr=8-1

 

[gianly1985]

LOL?

Apple has already been compliant to that stuff for YEARS, even BEFORE everybody else was.

Why? Apple chargers are just standard USB ports. (and everybody has a microUSB cable around to hook to it, every non-apple phone ships with such data cable)

The enviromental issue is about chargers, not cables.

So Apple chargers are OK, using them you can charge every microUSB handset.

This is an urban legend, Apple is already compliant.

On the other hand, don't even think that a dumb microUSB connection could ever substitute the iPod dock connector (ps: apple's been using the same connector, except a small electric change, for nearly 10 years now. In the meantime, other companies like Nokia has changed 4-5 different connectors!).

The iPod dock connector gives you:
- charge
- USB data
- mechanical strenght (fundamental for many ACCESSORIES)
- Component video output
- Composite video output
- VGA video output
- Audio output
- track info for hifi/car-audio accessory
- commands from audio accessories
- interaction between appstore Apps and external accessories

Get your hands off the ipod dock connector.

 

[thinkdesign]

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Plugging into a USB for charging power is irrelevant if there is no such thing available when one's roaming around outside of home/office.

Are you telling me I can carry a micro-usb charging brick, plug that into a resturant's power outlet, and its micro-USB plug can go into the iPhone?

 

[Icaras]

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Plugging into a USB for charging power is irrelevant if there is no such thing available when one's roaming around outside of home/office.

Are you telling me I can carry a micro-usb charging brick, plug that into a resturant's power outlet, and its micro-USB plug can go into the iPhone?

If you buy that $5 adapter I linked to, yes.

 

[gianly1985]

Plugging into a USB for charging power is irrelevant if there is no such thing available when one's roaming around outside of home/office.

Are you telling me I can carry a micro-usb charging brick, plug that into a resturant's power outlet, and its micro-USB plug can go into the iPhone?

No. I'm telling you that you can carry around an Apple charger bought 7 years ago and recharge every phone on the market, provided you have a microUSB cable. That's enough for me and for GREEN issues.

About charging iPhones, of course you can't charge it with other vendors microUSB cables if they don't provide a DETACHABLE cable system (so you can plug in the apple ipod cable), but it's their fault! But anyway since the apple charger has been universal for 7 years, just carry around THAT and use it both for your iphone and your nokia phone (or other microUSB phones). You have to carry 2 cables but 1 charger. The Earth is safe. Chargers are the real issue. Apple has done it since 2003. Beat that.

Anyway, maybe some third party vendor will come up with a product like this:

http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/reviews/entry/sendstation-pocketdock-line-out-mini-usb/

With such a dongle, you could use a Nokia charger (or other vendor's) to charge your iPhone.

But the best solution is to just carry around 2 cables and the Apple charger, as you can see it's also very small and the European version (I'm Italian) is even thinner:

+

+

= you got everything covered

 

[ucfgrad93]

If* Apple would get with the program by adding a Micro-USB jack (and charging voltage needs to match the standard, not precisely, but close)... as someone who worked a lifetime in the design biz, I think we might have a chance of eventually seeing restaurant designs that INCLUDE the voluntary-standard type charging cords, at some of the tables.

* I say "If", because... how can one convince a restaurant manager to even consider this, if one nanosecond later -- his retort can be: "60% of my customers are carrying iPhones, and that 'standard' plug doesn't with iPhones."


Come on Apple, get with the program!

Is this really a big issue? I've never walked into a restaurant thinking it would be really cool if I could charge my phone there.

 

[dccorona]

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Plugging into a USB for charging power is irrelevant if there is no such thing available when one's roaming around outside of home/office.

Are you telling me I can carry a micro-usb charging brick, plug that into a resturant's power outlet, and its micro-USB plug can go into the iPhone?

no, but you can using an iPod cable and USB charging brick, which most phones are starting to use (smart phones at least).

If you buy that $5 adapter I linked to, yes.

no. That won't work, because the micro usb end of that adapter is male. In order for that to work, you'd need the micro usb end to be female, and even then you'd still need an iPhone cable...nothing on that adapter will hook directly into an iPhone, it has no dock connector

 

[Azathoth]

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So a group of cell phone makers have voluntarily adopted the micro-USB jack as a standard they'll all be in synch with by, I think it's either 2011 or 2012.

I'll just add that this was actually an European Commission (EU) initiative.

 

[milk242]

I believe I read somewhere that Apple will just be bundling a dock connector to microusb adapter with their products in the EU.

 

[NoSmokingBandit]

I've always wondered why i cant just plug my ipod into the charger using this $2 cable:

Instead of this $20 cable:

I guess apple has to make up for those low margins somehow.

Oh, wait.

 

[macbookairman]

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It's been reported widely for years... millions of perfectly good cell-phone charging bricks go into LANDFILLS every year when people get new phones.

So a group of cell phone makers have voluntarily adopted the micro-USB jack as a standard they'll all be in synch with by, I think it's either 2011 or 2012.

Wait, let me get this straight...
You're proposing Apple force all the millions and millions of current iPod/iPhone accessories useless by replacing the current dock connector with a micro-usb port? So instead of people throwing old charging bricks into landfills, they can throw their old incompatible speaker docks, fm radio transmitters, external batteries, and much more into the landfills because they won't work with the nifty new iPod they bought that has a micro-usb jack on it?

I just don't think it makes sense to change to micro-usb now. Unless your proposing they keep both the 30-pin connector AND add a micro-usb connector?

I've always wondered why i cant just plug my ipod into the charger using this $2 cable:

Instead of this $20 cable:

I guess apple has to make up for those low margins somehow.

Oh, wait.

Conversely, how about this $20 micro USB cable, and this $2 iPod cable?

 

[uiop.]

Feel bad for the OP... Apparently some people take charging cables quite personally. I however couldn't give two s*its as long as it charges my phone.

 

[nineohtoo]

If i'm not mistaken, Apple is part of the groups of companies trying to standardize everything. However, I don't think that means the the cable connection is standard, I think it means the charger itself is, like how Apple already ships their chargers, and anyone can use their own USB cable to charge their phone.

I personally applaud Apple for using the same connections for as long as they have with little to no changes(though removing the ability to charge from a 12V/Firewire source was stupid imo). Don't the fact that you can use these chargers with other products in the line, unlike many other manufacturers(how many laptop brands have model/line specific chargers?). Also, like someone mentioned, the dock connection is capable of way more than a USB connection.

 

[sockatume]

Apple backs the GSM Association's move for a universal microUSB charger, but won't be dropping the dock connector:

http://www.techradar.com/news/phone...on-t-drop-dock-connector-for-micro-usb-612103

"As we've said in the past, we are committed to the Apple dock connector and this initiative will not require us to change it. Today's memorandum gives manufacturers the option to provide an adapter that connects with the universal charger."

I agree with the argument above that, by shipping the iPhone with a mains USB charger, Apple is meeting its end of the bargain. Anyone with a micro-USB cable (which usually ships with the phone) and an iPhone charger can charge a phone that's part of the GSMA's microUSB initiative.