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Reason077

macrumors 68040
Aug 14, 2007
3,657
3,737
Legislation is not the way to solve these problems in my view. In 10 years phones will still have to have this old connector because they never got around to updating the law.

That's a good thing. The USB-C connector is designed for the long haul. It can carry many different kinds of signals (USB, HDMI, Thunderbolt, who knows what else in the future...) and scales to high power levels.
 

IIGS User

macrumors 65816
Feb 24, 2019
1,101
3,084
I mean, really, what's the point? I'm not European. I don't plan on being European, so who gives a crap if they're socialists USB? They could be fascist anarchists - that still wouldn't change the fact that I don't own a car.”

bueller.jpg


I recall Central Park in fall
How you tore your dress
What a mess, I confess, that's not all
 
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GLS

macrumors 6502a
Jun 26, 2010
561
601
Let me guess; Apple will sell iPhones with a USB C port...but will go further and not include a USB C cable in the box, because it's now standard and everyone has a USB C cable.

After all, by the premise of what the EU is proposing, then there should not be a reason why Apple has to include a cable, correct?
 

mrat93

macrumors 68020
Dec 30, 2006
2,290
3,059
What happens when there's a better connector invented? Will the europeans be stuck in the stone age due to this legislation?
There is an 80gbps USB-C spec in the works — that’s over 160x faster than the USB 2.0 spec we’ve been living with for the last 15 years.

Even in 10 years, if there are still ports, and if there’s a new port that goes faster on a different connector, nobody would be begging for it.

USB-C will be the last major standard connector. There’s simply no need to create a new connector for everyday devices. It’s USB-C, then wireless.
 
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fat jez

macrumors 68020
Jun 24, 2010
2,084
615
Glasgow, UK
Not sure why people thing this will lead to chargers being thrown away?

Pretty much every charger I’ve ever seen either has a usb-a or usb-c connection. It’s what’s on the end that plugs into the device that’s being enforced on items sold in the EU. So as far as I can see, new cables will be needed but not new chargers.
 
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citysnaps

macrumors G5
Oct 10, 2011
12,021
26,055
iPhone users are already stuck with a stone age connector and protocol.

Yet Apple manufactures and sell 600,000+ iPhones every single day (on the average) of the year.

Who would have thought that could happen with stone-age tech?
 

HobeSoundDarryl

macrumors G5
I only have one question. What will Apple do? Will they make the next phone USB-C as “required “. Or will they do it “the Apple way”. It’s been rumored for some time that Apple wants to remove all contacts to the phone. Will they still do that? Will they in effect tell the EC to F off? It’s going to be interesting to say the least.

Through the intent of this law, either move is fine. It's not like the EU is getting some kind of payment from USB-C jack vs. Lightning usage.

This is very simple law: an increasingly dominant company in a market is pressing a proprietary jack with no tangible benefit over a standardized jack that even that company themselves uses in the rest of their product mix. The proprietary cables and related hardware generally costs consumers MORE than the commoditized standard cables and jack in everything else. Get this growing power to comply with the standard and it is likely to benefit all EU consumers.

If Apple responds by rolling out an iPhone with no jack, that just as good through the intent of this law. EU consumers can buy that all-wireless iPhone and not have to pay extra for a proprietary anything to get full use of that iPhone.

The gist of this comes down to "forcing the future" as we spun to each other here to rationalize Apple adopting USB-C in that MB all those years ago. Unfortunately, it is taking GOV actions to get Apple to finish what they started. However, as soon as they do, the pro-lightning crowd will quickly evaporate (just as the pro-30-pin crowd did before them... and the firewire crowd before them). The drama and resistance is mostly fueled by what Apple has for sale now. Roll out USB-C or all-wireless iPhone and the bulk of the pro-lightning crowd will quickly jump right on that next train.
 
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Reason077

macrumors 68040
Aug 14, 2007
3,657
3,737
USB-C ... is less durable than lightning.

There is zero evidence for this.

Lightning have rounder edges, making it easier to plug in.

Maybe. But firstly you have to figure out if you have the correct cable type, and then work out which end of the cable is which, something you don't have to do with USB-C. So for convenience, USB-C still wins overall.

Now days, it's simply a pointless inconvenience that iPhones and AirPods can't be charged with the same type of cable as literally every other modern device.
 

bobtem

Suspended
Jun 5, 2017
430
540
Apple should just add a non-functional usb-c port next to the lightning port. Job done.
Better yet, ship it with a Lightning-to-USB-C adapter, like they just did with the iPad for charging the Pencil…
 

bluecoast

macrumors 68020
Nov 7, 2017
2,225
2,644
Apple didn't want to make the shift because it makes loads of $$$ from it's MFI program (and MagSafe hasn't really taken off), nothing more, nothing less.

This is a good move and it should be more of a concern for the USA that the EU is basically acting as its consumer electronics, digital platforms, online advertising and social networks regulator, as the USA - for various reasons - cannot.

(I'm in the UK, so I'm not crowing here - we have our own problems anyway 🙄)
 

Oscar_440

macrumors regular
Mar 1, 2017
198
303
What happens when there's a better connector invented? Will the europeans be stuck in the stone age due to this legislation?
Then EU will change the standard connector. With USB-C connector, you can even transfer data with thunderbolt 4 speed, that is a HUGE advance over lighting.
Talking about walls on innovation and Stone Age, how many years Apple hold that 2.0 transfer speed, 10 years?

Apple should had changed Lightning connector on iPhone when released the first MacBook with only usb-C ports…

For every MFI sale, Apple earn at least 3$, so they don’t want to get rid of that golden chicken.
 
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fat jez

macrumors 68020
Jun 24, 2010
2,084
615
Glasgow, UK
There is zero evidence for this.

Not sure I’d agree. The port on my Nokia android got loose to the point it would no longer make a consistent connection. It had to be replaced.

However, the connection on the iPad Air 2022 seems very secure, so Apple seem to have a good design on their kit.
 
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DEMinSoCAL

macrumors 601
Sep 27, 2005
4,871
6,949
USB-C is hollow in the middle and is less durable than lightning. Lightning have rounder edges, making it easier to plug in.

I agree that iPad and macs need this for speed, but daily-use products…….not the case anymore
And every Android phone sold, almost a BILLION in 2021, has a USB-C port.
 
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brofkand

macrumors 65816
Jun 11, 2006
1,415
3,564
That's a good thing. The USB-C connector is designed for the long haul. It can carry many different kinds of signals (USB, HDMI, Thunderbolt, who knows what else in the future...) and scales to high power levels.

The USB-C connector is great. But eventually it will be superseded by something else, whatever that may be. And unless they update this regulation the technology will lag behind.
 

JosephAW

macrumors 603
May 14, 2012
6,022
7,998
Is the requirement just for power or for syncing? Apple will provide an extra usb c power port but will require lightning to sync. :rolleyes:
 

DEMinSoCAL

macrumors 601
Sep 27, 2005
4,871
6,949
Yet Apple manufactures and sell 600,000+ iPhones every single day (on the average) of the year.

Who would have thought that could happen with stone-age tech?
And while I love my iPhone, it takes hours to charge from 60% to 100% with Lightning, whereas my Android phone with USB-C and Turbo charging can do it in 30 minutes.
 

CTHarrryH

macrumors 68030
Jul 4, 2012
2,939
1,433
I love to Apple tell EU that no phones will be sold there in 2024. Won’t happen but government regulating tech isn’t good. What will be next.
It may save future purchases but I’ll be sending all my existing cables and charging blocks to the UK regulators. Let them throw in their trash
 

senttoschool

macrumors 68030
Nov 2, 2017
2,574
5,338
The fun thing about these kinds of rules is you won’t actually see the innovation they kill, because ‘this is illegal unless you submit it to an unpredictable multi-year bureaucratic approval process’ means projects will be abandoned at birth.
This is why American and Chinese companies have out-innovated Europeans over the last 20 years.
 
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DEMinSoCAL

macrumors 601
Sep 27, 2005
4,871
6,949
Don’t think that’s true if you check GSM Arena. Out of the 1000+ models released, about 20% didn’t have usb-c. Probably micro usb still.
My point still stands. I don't care 1B or 800 MILLION -- still 3x the number of iPhones sold and all have USB-C.
 
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