EU Law That Could Force the iPhone to Switch to USB-C to Be Presented Next Month

[Piplodocus]

Go port less already.

Sure. Because I want my phone to be useless for any music apps where I want low latency audio, and I definitely want it to die when I'm in the middle of nowhere while using it for maps and as a cycling computer as I can't just have a booster pack plugged in (with only a crappy inefficient wireless charging system that isn't supported by any decent cycling mounts). ?‍♂️

As an always iPhone user, I would genuinely be VERY likely to go android if they went portless. Then they'll have broken the benefits of all my devices in the Apple ecosystem, so I'll instantly stop upgrading to more iCloud storage for my photos, might then switch from Apple Music to spotify, etc, etc, so I hope they don't as they'll get a lot less money off me generally long term, not just me not buying an iPhone. It's bad enough me needing a dongle to get low latency audio out on my iPad "Pro" if I want to make some tunes on the go.

 

[mazz0]

I could accept the micro usb, it was the being born with dial up internet where I had to draw the line.

A copper line, presumably?

 

[VaruLV]

Good to know, sometimes progress has to be enforced.

 

[T-R-S]

buy an adapter - use wireless charging

 

[LFC2020]

Sure. Because I want my phone to be useless for any music apps where I want low latency audio, and I definitely want it to die when I'm in the middle of nowhere while using it for maps and as a cycling computer as I can't just have a booster pack plugged in (with only a crappy inefficient wireless charging system that isn't supported by any decent cycling mounts). ?‍♂️

As an always iPhone user, I would genuinely be VERY likely to go android if they went portless. Then they'll have broken the benefits of all my devices in the Apple ecosystem, so I'll instantly stop upgrading to more iCloud storage for my photos, might then switch from Apple Music to spotify, etc, etc, so I hope they don't as they'll get a lot less money off me generally long term, not just me not buying an iPhone. It's bad enough me needing a dongle to get low latency audio out on my iPad "Pro" if I want to make some tunes on the go.

We better get use to it, iPhone is going port less if we like it or not.

 

[Tech198]

I'll admit... I've warmed up to USB-C as I've used it more, and as I've had more failed Lightning connections than I care to admit. The older 30-pin connector was far more reliable for me than Lightning has been, sadly.

They do make those connectors to stiffen the magnets of Megasafe cord.. I wonder if they do the same for USB-C:

https://www.newertech.com/products/snuglet.php

 

[Crowbot]

Backward compatible.

 

[4nNtt]

So they are requiring USB-C just as wireless charging is becoming the cross-platform standard… If Apple were to switch ports I think it would be in the form of a smart connector which is much more appropriate for peripherals such as external batteries, etc. then USB-C which has waterproofing issues. Are they going force USB-C on a Smart Watch too?

 

[Rigby]

So they are requiring USB-C just as wireless charging is becoming the cross-platform standard… If Apple were to switch ports I think it would be in the form of a smart connector which is much more appropriate for peripherals such as external batteries, etc. then USB-C which has waterproofing issues. Are they going force USB-C on a Smart Watch too?

Suppliers like Amphenol sell IPX8-rated USB-C connectors.

In terms of configurability, connectors don't get much smarter than USB-C.

 

[0x0x0x0]

Wireless charging is bad for the batteries, since it produces more heat due to its inefficiency.

Lower power charging produces more heat than high power charging??? Come again?..

 

[0x0x0x0]

The criticism concerns the hardware of the hardware of the computer side socket and this is inferior to lightning. That USB-C may contain more usefull signals is an entirely other question.

If you have dirt cheap hardware sure, but that's beside the point, I have laptops with USB-C that were bought in 2017, and I plug USB-C in and out at least once daily, since then, guess what it's still there and is firm as it was at the start. And one of the reasons why it's solid is because the (non-Apple) laptop that I have has .5mm thick steel bracket clamping the USB-C on to a Mg-Al chassis. If the manufacturer cheapens out on parts and charges the suckers premium for junk, well, whose fault is that?.. A potential reason why Lightning seems better is because Apple hardware has far shorter churning cycle; my Lumia phone still works and still holds a full day's charge (and had wireless charging back then) since May 2013... meanwhile I've gone through three ipod touches in the last three years due to two latent and one patent defects!

 

[RobArtLyn]

Lower power charging produces more heat than high power charging??? Come again?..

The ”lower power” is the effective power after losses due to inefficiency. The lost power winds up as heat.

 

[0x0x0x0]

The ”lower power” is the effective power after losses due to inefficiency. The lost power winds up as heat.

Dig out the Qi charging spec, you're talking rubbish, the lower (than wire) power is there by design, not due to heating losses, you're literally making it up as you go.

 

[RobArtLyn]

Dig out the Qi charging spec, you're talking rubbish, the lower (than wire) power is there by design, not due to heating losses, you're literally making it up as you go.

Why do you think the spec calls for that? How much additional heat do you think would be generated by more power? Wireless charging is by nature inefficient. I am not going to look up the figures, but if memory serves correctly the best wireless phone chargers are only 60% efficient. (Please feel free to quote actual numbers.). Where do you think the rest of that power goes?

 

[Ubuntu]

What is wrong with the lightening connector?

It is solid and reliable in my experience. Also it is all over the place because iPhone is so popular.

USB C is also prevalent and shared across many other devices. Imagine just needing the one cable for your iPhone, iPad and MacBook.

 

[Ubuntu]

EU need to keep out of this industry as they have no idea.

Things are changing and the Industry have been working hard to move to Type-C especially Apple and they don’t need EU interference.

Apple is dropping Lightning port eventually anyways and not be adopting Type-C as everything is moving towards wireless so this will just be another egg on face moment for the EU yet again completely out of their depth

EU needs to thank Apple for lightning as at the time Type-C wasn’t ready and Micro USB was inadequate why Apple developed Lightning and Apple played a big part in Type-C development and only now ready tho wireless is a better way forward and the EU fails to get it again

Working hard? Apple has been dragging its feet here intentionally.

 

[dgrey]

Apple can talk the talk, but they never walk the walk. At the very core of their "business model" is incompatiblity with the world at large. Just like the rest of the US with its miles, ounces and gallons.

It pays to know that when the U.S. government deals with international bodies, we report everything in the metric system, so, it really doesn’t matter what the U.S. does domestically. And Britain still uses the Imperial system too, for many things.

 

[Crowbot]

 

[anthonylambert]

This is a bad example because usb-c is extremely versatile given that it supports usb2.x, usb3.x, thunderbolt, displayport, pcie, and will support power delivery up to 240W. Also, thunderbolt 5 with 80gbps is rumored to be on usb-c as well.

Usb-c is a good thing. Those connectors referenced in your comment didn't support so many different protocols traveling along the same cable.

but you missed my point they did actually try to make the EU standard micro USB a few years back. Apple has to sell an adapter.
I agree that USB-C has a great many formats included in it, but they are also adding new ones every couple of years. In 10 years we might think this connect limited.

 

[mrochester]

USB C is also prevalent and shared across many other devices. Imagine just needing the one cable for your iPhone, iPad and MacBook.

I would need 3 cables, one to charge each device at the same time and/or different locations. Makes no odds whether it is usbc or lightning.

I’m not sure why people talk as if everyone is suddenly gonna have one charging brick and one usbc cable!

 

[0x0x0x0]

Why do you think the spec calls for that? How much additional heat do you think would be generated by more power? Wireless charging is by nature inefficient. I am not going to look up the figures, but if memory serves correctly the best wireless phone chargers are only 60% efficient. (Please feel free to quote actual numbers.). Where do you think the rest of that power goes?

Because unlike you, I've actually read the Qi spec!

Don't change what you said, you expressly referred to heat generated by the inefficiencies in over-the-air energy transfer (which is utter nonsense):

Wireless charging is bad for the batteries, since it produces more heat due to its inefficiency.

and not over-the-air energy transfer efficiency as a whole! By your perverse logic, any RF transmission generates heat, "lol": you lose energy during when you propagate that energy, otherwise you violate the law of conservation of energy (in your world the process of transfer of energy from A to be is free, which is the most ridiculous thing ever!) Vast majority of the heat you experience in your device is from the chemical reaction in the battery!

 

[RobArtLyn]

Because unlike you, I've actually read the Qi spec!

Don't change what you said, you expressly referred to heat generated by the inefficiencies in over-the-air energy transfer (which is utter nonsense):

and not over-the-air energy transfer efficiency as a whole! By your perverse logic, any RF transmission generates heat, "lol": you lose energy during when you propagate that energy, otherwise you violate the law of conservation of energy (in your world the process of transfer of energy from A to be is free, which is the most ridiculous thing ever!) Vast majority of the heat you experience in your device is from the chemical reaction in the battery!

That is a fascinating interpretation of my casually worded statement. Wrong, but fascinating. The inductive coils generate heat, independent of whether a battery is even part of the circuit.

 

[Rigby]

Because unlike you, I've actually read the Qi spec!

Don't change what you said, you expressly referred to heat generated by the inefficiencies in over-the-air energy transfer (which is utter nonsense):

and not over-the-air energy transfer efficiency as a whole! By your perverse logic, any RF transmission generates heat, "lol": you lose energy during when you propagate that energy, otherwise you violate the law of conservation of energy (in your world the process of transfer of energy from A to be is free, which is the most ridiculous thing ever!) Vast majority of the heat you experience in your device is from the chemical reaction in the battery!

I'm sorry to say that you have no idea what you are talking about. This issue has been studied in detail and is indisputable. The main problem is that the inductive transfer creates heat in both the charger (antenna coil and inverter) and the device (antenna coil and AC/DC conversion) due to its low overall efficiency, and in a small device both are right next to the battery, with no air gap that would allow heat to dissipate. See e.g.:

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsenergylett.9b00663

 

[Vlad Soare]

I don't care if USB-C is a thousand times better than Lightning. I just find it utterly abnormal that a bunch of fat, useless politicians with nothing better to do get to tell us which kind of wires we are allowed to use. What's next? Brussels outlawing white toilet paper and telling us it must be pink?
Welcome to the Socialist Republic of Europe. I congratulate the British for getting out of this madness.

 

[anthonylambert]

The executive branch of the European Union is currently drafting the legislation, according to sources speaking to Reuters, which is expected to be presented next month.

Article Link: EU Law That Could Force the iPhone to Switch to USB-C to Be Presented Next Month

Apparently the next EU legislation will standardize what Diesel is allowed to go in their submarines...