Apple's Reversible USB-Lightning Cable Unlikely for iPhone 6, but New Adapter Possible

[Moto G]

Words alone cannot express how VERY VERY relieved I (and the electronics consuming world at large) are/am that the people commenting about electronics on this thread, havng NO electronics experience, are not electronic product designers.

Seriously. "How did that symmetrical plug change polarity without the new X-fangle-Doodle orientation detection chip?" - well, maybe it's just simple, obvious symmetry... or maybe the person just turned it around?

LOL


"Wat is eslastomer? I fort only metal conducted electricty"


I chuckle politely, then walk away.


Perhaps the world would like the SCSI port back? That way, we don't have to involve "the common man" in pondering the design and integrity of electronic peripheral interconnects - they're already tried and tested BY REAL ENGINEERS

Here, find an iPhone adapter for THIS, if you think new fandangled things won't work:

 

[acctman]

so we need a new adapter for the cable? so that means these cables won't work in laptops for charging...

 

[PFKMan23]

Cool beans, I guess, but like someone said, why USB what's reversible from the start was puzzling.

 

[goobot]

Defiantly... (no offence, genuinely)

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I wonder how much they'll charge...

It's fine, idk i must of just missed it or something.

I'm still confused how they're managing to swap the pinout of the USB cable when the orientation is changed without using a chip.

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Well lightning connectors are digital right? So when you plug the lighting end into the phone the chips in the cable tell which pins to do what and when. I would guess the same can be done on the opposite end too, no?

so we need a new adapter for the cable? so that means these cables won't work in laptops for charging...

No you don't need an adapter. It would work with any usb 2 device.

 

[wlossw]

They should stick a USB charging port on macbook chargers too. It would save so much hassle.

they did it's called the USB port on the MacBook....

 

[dumastudetto]

People are making fun of it in this thread, but yeah Apple really does invest a lot in the entire experience. I hate Micro USB cables but I enjoy using Thunderbolt and Lightning cables and connectors. They truly are a joy to use and connect devices when needs must. I absolutely dread plugging in a Micro USB cable because its such a PITA.

So I think in a lot of ways “revolutionary cable” is right on the money in terms of a description.

 

[Renzatic]

People are making fun of it in this thread, but yeah Apple really does invest a lot in the entire experience. I hate Micro USB cables but I enjoy using Thunderbolt and Lightning cables and connectors. They truly are a joy to use and connect devices when needs must. I absolutely dread plugging in a Micro USB cable because its such a PITA.

So I think in a lot of ways “revolutionary cable” is right on the money in terms of a description.

It's...it's...it's...a damn cable! You plug part A into port B. As far as the purely physical aspects of it go, there's absolutely nothing elegant or revolutionary about it. Hell, Magsafe was far more interesting than Lightning, which is just...a...a...it's a plug.

...and how exactly does using it make for a joyous experience? It doesn't even make any cool clicky noises.

I don't understand, Duma. Help me understand.

 

[CXsjr]

My OCD would prevent me from plugging in the cable with the USB logo facing down ....

 

[doelcm82]

I've never had an Apple cable break and I don't remove them by the cord. Coincidence?

Definitely a coincidence. Doesn't matter to me.

Nor does it change the fact that Apple's cables haven't held up for me, and the third-party cables have.

I don't pull mine out by the cord, either. I see two possibilities:

1. Something in my environment (which doesn't exist in yours) reveals the weakness in Apple's cables.
2. Not all Apple-branded cables are equally well-made. Perhaps there are multiple suppliers. My 2011 MBPr has the screen ghosting problem that seems to exist on LG-supplied screens, but not on the Samsung-supplied screens.

I've heard I can get new cables from Apple if mine are frayed. Perhaps when I take my iPhone 5 in to get the faulty battery replaced, I'll take the frayed cable and see if they will give me a replacement.

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My OCD would prevent me from plugging in the cable with the USB logo facing down ....

So, plug it in with the USB logo facing up. My fear is that putting the logo on both sides would give people with serious cases of CDO* a psychotic break.

*CDO is like OCD, except the letters are in alphabetic order.

 

[dumastudetto]

It's...it's...it's...a damn cable! You plug part A into port B. As far as the purely physical aspects of it go, there's absolutely nothing elegant or revolutionary about it. Hell, Magsafe was far more interesting than Lightning, which is just...a...a...it's a plug.

...and how exactly does using it make for a joyous experience? It doesn't even make any cool clicky noises.

I don't understand, Duma. Help me understand.

You need to find some joy in simplicity.

But maybe also you've never had the frustrating experience of fiddling with a Micro USB connector trying to get the damn thing in and guess which is the right way up? The first guess it doesn't quite want to go in so you assume it's wrong, you try the other side and it still won't go into the connector - so you reverse again, put a brighter light on and inspect more closely and finally you get the friggin thing to align and connect.

The lightning cable just glides into the connector every time. You can do it in bright sunlight, or in the dark, it's easy and it works every time. This is a joyous experience for me.

 

[DerekAndonian]

73% of focus group participants found the combination of Thunderbolt and Lightning to be very, very, frightening.

It sounds perfectly fine to me. But hey, what do I know? I'm just a poor boy. But I need no sympathy... Any way the wind blows, doesn't really matter to me...


If I'm not back again this time tomorrow, carry on.

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so we need a new adapter for the cable?

Yeah, but they make the coolest adapters...

 

[MattInOz]

Wouldn't a reversible socket on all mac's be better than a reversible plug on some cables?

 

[iSayuSay]

Is the added bulk on the power adapter really necessary, or are they adding bulk to it just for the sake of it?

It's necessary due to (likely) new power requirement of iPhone 6. With larger screen, comes larger battery, so it will need more amperage. Also it is a nice thing because Apple now can streamline current chargers into one for any iOS devices. No more 12 watt or 5 watt charger. Bigger charger also feels nicer in hand.

 

[n-evo]

Wouldn't a reversible socket on all mac's be better than a reversible plug on some cables?

Depends on how much you'd like to spend on this feature. For me it isn't worth replacing my entire 2013 iMac, so I'd rather have the cable.

 

[allanfries]

Why?

 

[D-Dave]

This is what Intel should have developed 15 years ago. That it hasn't been improved in the last 15 years speaks volumes about others' willingness to maintain the status quo, and why Apple is doing so much better than everyone else.

You do realise that:
a) Reversible USB-Cables have been on sale for a rather long time, the idea is nothing new from Apple only the implemetation may be different
b)Firewire and Thunderbolt are both not reversible and both were (co-)developed by Apple...so what is your point?

Apple is not "doing so much better then everyone else" because of working against the status quo, they are on top of things because they managed to combine the best technology available at the time into refined products and opened up those categories to the masses (mp3 player -> iPod; Smartphone -> iPhone; Tablets -> iPad). Once Apple has established a Product, they are more then willing to keep a status quo for much longer then most other companys (see average product cycles)


BTW: Why on earth is this Cable/Charger Toppic worth so many first page news?

 

[Jaybee75]

Wouldn't a reversible socket on all mac's be better than a reversible plug on some cables?

I think that the reversible-thing makes the plug much less sturdy. It makes sense to leave the socket unchanged since its much more sturdy and is much harder to replace. If the reversible cable breaks its cheap and easy to replace.

j.

 

[alexgowers]

Increasing the power for charging and unifying the chargers between the iPads and iPhones.

Apple are making sure the larger iPhone batteries charge fast, 2 hours seems like the sort of area you should be to get a full charge. The current iPhone chargers are too low amperage and might cause the iPhone to be too slow in this area.

Unifying the iPad and iPhone charging bricks seems like a great move to lower production costs.

 

[The Doctor11]

This is what Intel should have developed 15 years ago. That it hasn't been improved in the last 15 years speaks volumes about others' willingness to maintain the status quo, and why Apple is doing so much better than everyone else.

Damn right! I think thats why so many people love Apple. Apple Cares

 

[MacSince1990]

This doesn't sound like a bad thing, but I really don't understand all the fuss over it. I've seen at least a dozen articles on this, patent analysis, podcasts, etc. over the past week. Is it really that life-changing of a development? Besides, don't most people keep the USB end plugged into the charger most of the time anyway? I have 6 iPhone and iPad chargers, I rarely take the USB end out.

I don't get it either. I don't bother checking which side is which, either, if it doesn't fit i just turn the stupid thing around. Would be even less of a problem if my MBP had more than two USB ports *eyeroll*

A USB 3 lightning would be more welcome. I feel like a reversible one just introduces more potential mechanical failures.

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This is what Intel should have developed 15 years ago. That it hasn't been improved in the last 15 years speaks volumes about others' willingness to maintain the status quo, and why Apple is doing so much better than everyone else.

You have absolutely got to be joking.

First off, Intel was one of seven companies, including IBM and Microsoft to develop USB. Also, to say USB hasn't improved since (presumably you mean USB 1.1), is an absolute joke. USB 2.0 made external storage devices viable, and USB 3.0 improved upon that. You can also boot from USB now even on Macs.

Secondly, what other connector is reversible (other than the lightning end of iOS devices, and only since 2012)?

Apple never made FireWire reversible. They never made ADC reversible, or ADB, or FW800, or Thunderbolt.

And USB 3.1 has been in the works for a while now and IS supposed to be reversible.

http://www.muktware.com/2013/12/apples-thunderbold-get-sleeker-reversible-competition-usb/17158

Before jumping on the Apple bandwagon and thumping your Apple Bible, maybe think a bit first.

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Cool beans, I guess, but like someone said, why USB what's reversible from the start was puzzling.

If I had to guess, I'd say probably because they were worried the connector might snap off. That's sort of what I always assumed. Dunno though.

 

[CTU Kyoto]

I would love to see Apple adopt a folding UK plug style such as this one, to the relief of UK iPhone users.

 

[michelepri]

This is what USB should have been a long time ago, but instead it was released single sided. And now it even went many different ways with mini usb, usb3, and maybe even more cables, which made it a dead standard for me. And should have used a standard cable in their iphone itself.

 

[thebeans]

It would be useful if they were able to combine the iPhone and iPad power adaptors into one product so that I didn't have to carry both adaptors everywhere.

They did. It's called the iPad power adapter. It works with either the iPad or the iPhone.

 

[KdParker]

This sounds great an all, but I want more iPhone6 leaks....

Can't wait for the new version this year.

 

[Southern Dad]

I'll be honest, if they don't make the USB reversible, I'd at least like to see a raised symbol on the top. I have a 50/50 shot at getting it right when I go to plug it in, in my car or to my computer.