EU deal on single mobile charging port likely June 7 in setback for Apple (opens in new tab)

(reuters.com)

24 pointswebscout4y ago23 comments

23 comments

19 comments · 6 top-level

ham-sandwich4y ago· 5 in thread

This is amazing news. Apple will never voluntarily give up the licensing revenue from mandating Lightning chargers. This puts the onus on consumers, and makes it harder for people to switch ecosystems. A great example of productive regulation.

SOLAR_FIELDS4y ago

It's great news right now - but what happens when a newer better standard comes along and now these regulations keep us with the better than lightning but pretty problematic for a multitude of reasons USB-C? One can hope the EU will adapt appropriately, but I'm skeptical.

There's also the very distinct possibility that Apple will just do away with the port entirely, which IMO is also a loss for consumers.

jdsully4y ago

They already moved on from micro-USB so its happened once already.

SOLAR_FIELDS4y ago

Who is "they" in this case? Certainly not the EU mandate, since that has never existed before?

1 more reply

Shadonototra4y ago

bullshit, fragmentation is a loss for consumers, having standard cable helps everyone stay on the same page and advance at the same pace, avoiding useless waste, and lets everyone reuse their equipment whenever they have to buy a new phone

the future is wireless anyways, so let's move toward that path with the less friction possible

0xfaded4y ago

Anecdotally my last pixel died because the USB-C connector wore out. I have an old iPad that once experienced similar use, and it can still hang upsidedown by the lightning connector.

But agreed, hopefully this all goes away with wireless.

1 more reply

anamax4y ago· 3 in thread

They're going to pick the wrong connector.

USB-C has a very fragile piece in the equipment (the tongue) while the wire-side is quite robust. Lightning is very robust equipment-side and the wire-side is less fragile than the fragile piece in USB-C equipment side. (In fact, the weakest part of lightning cables is the wire's connection to the connectors.)

I don't own any Apple equipment. Nevertheless, I envy that they almost always get connectors right.

Leo_Verto4y ago

Counterpoint: The lightning port has both the locking spring tabs as well as the spring contacts in the receptacle, both of which wear out over time. I'd much rather replace a cable due to worn out springs than my phone's port. Now why is Apple holding onto Lightning for iPhones when even the iPad has been transitioned to USB-C? I like the theory that Apple is trying to keep it until they can make an entirely wireless iPhone happen, but the failure of AirPower [1] was likely a factor in delaying this transition further than planned.

[1]: https://www.macrumors.com/2019/03/29/apple-officially-cancel...

anamax4y ago

That's an argument for more of the breakable stuff on the cable than on the phone. Call it Leo The Port.

Connectors are non-trivial.

otter-rock4y ago

Hopefully, they won't pick a wireless power standard too soon. We're still in the phase where proprietary solutions are fixing real deficiencies, and not just making arbitrarily different shapes to sell more stuff.

traverseda4y ago· 3 in thread

I fully expect apple to make a phone with no ports in the near future, charging or otherwise. I wonder how this will effect a phone that can only charge wirelessly.

pimeys4y ago

Isn't that waste of energy? We live in an energy crisis, so is it really feasible to waste it in wireless charging?

CogitoCogito4y ago

It doesn't really seem like it's worth caring about the costs of the charging of iphones:

https://blogs.oracle.com/utilities/post/how-much-does-it-cos...

https://www.knowyourmobile.com/user-guides/iphone-battery-si...

Even if their charging became half as efficient, it would still be a rounding error compared to the rest of our energy usage.

hypertele-Xii4y ago

And if every minor usage of energy considers itself a rounding error, on aggregate the combined waste rivals that of a major one.

2 more replies

throwway19224y ago· 2 in thread

A similar ruling for laptop charging port would be boon.

arthurcolle4y ago

Macs already use USB-C

angulardragon034y ago

The majority of non-Apple laptops you can go out and buy still use manufacturer-specific barrel jack adapters (or those weird rectangular ones that Lenovo uses).

theplumber4y ago

>> Apple was not immediately available for comment. It has previously said the inappropriate use of dated international standards stifles innovation and that forcing users to change to new chargers could create a mountain of electronic waste.

USB-C is superior and allowing users to reuse usb cables (i.e from macbooks) could reduce a mountain of electronic waste.

bsnal4y ago

Setback for Apple and all Apple customers, I’d say.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

23 comments

19 comments · 6 top-level

ham-sandwich4y ago· 5 in thread

SOLAR_FIELDS4y ago

There's also the very distinct possibility that Apple will just do away with the port entirely, which IMO is also a loss for consumers.

jdsully4y ago

They already moved on from micro-USB so its happened once already.

SOLAR_FIELDS4y ago

Who is "they" in this case? Certainly not the EU mandate, since that has never existed before?

1 more reply

Shadonototra4y ago

the future is wireless anyways, so let's move toward that path with the less friction possible

0xfaded4y ago

Anecdotally my last pixel died because the USB-C connector wore out. I have an old iPad that once experienced similar use, and it can still hang upsidedown by the lightning connector.

But agreed, hopefully this all goes away with wireless.

1 more reply

anamax4y ago· 3 in thread

They're going to pick the wrong connector.

I don't own any Apple equipment. Nevertheless, I envy that they almost always get connectors right.

Leo_Verto4y ago

[1]: https://www.macrumors.com/2019/03/29/apple-officially-cancel...

anamax4y ago

That's an argument for more of the breakable stuff on the cable than on the phone. Call it Leo The Port.

Connectors are non-trivial.

otter-rock4y ago

traverseda4y ago· 3 in thread

I fully expect apple to make a phone with no ports in the near future, charging or otherwise. I wonder how this will effect a phone that can only charge wirelessly.

pimeys4y ago

Isn't that waste of energy? We live in an energy crisis, so is it really feasible to waste it in wireless charging?

CogitoCogito4y ago

It doesn't really seem like it's worth caring about the costs of the charging of iphones:

https://blogs.oracle.com/utilities/post/how-much-does-it-cos...

https://www.knowyourmobile.com/user-guides/iphone-battery-si...

Even if their charging became half as efficient, it would still be a rounding error compared to the rest of our energy usage.

hypertele-Xii4y ago

And if every minor usage of energy considers itself a rounding error, on aggregate the combined waste rivals that of a major one.

2 more replies

throwway19224y ago· 2 in thread

A similar ruling for laptop charging port would be boon.

arthurcolle4y ago

Macs already use USB-C

angulardragon034y ago

The majority of non-Apple laptops you can go out and buy still use manufacturer-specific barrel jack adapters (or those weird rectangular ones that Lenovo uses).

theplumber4y ago

USB-C is superior and allowing users to reuse usb cables (i.e from macbooks) could reduce a mountain of electronic waste.

bsnal4y ago

Setback for Apple and all Apple customers, I’d say.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse