Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

bob24

macrumors 6502a
Sep 25, 2012
610
544
Dublin, Ireland
Apple isn’t a private company.
Interestingly, this shows another American / European difference.

To an American, a ”private company” is a company which doesn't have shares listed on a stock exchange.

To most Europeans (including the person you were replying to), a “private company” is a company which doesn’t belong to any government.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Saladin12

Damian83

macrumors 6502a
Jul 20, 2011
503
275
The EU are even more morally bankrupt than Apple with Tim Crook at the helm. The fact some trans-National organization can dictate what charging port a private company can use is insane.
the funny thing its that obtuse and "slow" politicians made a better work than the world's richest company CEO ;-)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Madhava

bradman83

macrumors 6502a
Oct 29, 2020
963
2,385
Buffalo, NY
oz didn't say when Apple would make the switch to USB-C and away from Lightning, but with the December 2024 deadline, Apple could wait until the iPhone 16 in September 2024 before transitioning to the newer port.
Apple likes to keep the prior generation iPhone around as a lower cost midrange model between the SE and the current model, so it would make sense for them to adopt USB-C this year for the iPhone 15 so that they can keep it on sale as the midrange model next year.
 

cthompson94

macrumors 6502a
Jan 10, 2022
808
1,161
SoCal
All USB-C cables support a minimum of 3A 60W charging. That's sufficient for most laptops, and far more power than any phone requires.

Data rates are irrelevant here. The EU regulation is only about charging.
This is incorrect, there are USB-C cables that are 1A, 2A, and 2.4A.
 

bob24

macrumors 6502a
Sep 25, 2012
610
544
Dublin, Ireland
Ahh yes, because we're all buying cars from the same factories in China on a yearly basis. The world needs a single standard, the EU shouldn't be dictating it. It would be counterproductive to everyone involved if there were multiple versions of phones for every region based on local laws. So as far as staying in a lane, you're really not staying in your own.

Let’s be honest here. If Apple wanted to have USB-C iPhone for the EU and Lighting ones for the rest of the world, their manufacturing partners could do it pretty easily and for virtually no additional cost (it would probably be even easier than the US-specific phones without a SIM card slot). There is no factory logistics issue here.

The reason Apple won’t do this is that if they did, they know everyone outside the EU would be complaining about lightning and asking why they don’t have USB-C as well. Lightning played a role, but aside from a small number of people who have a lot of accessories, a majority of Apple users are tired of it.
 
Last edited:

austinmcguire

macrumors member
Apr 30, 2006
30
43
Let’s be honest here. If Apple wanted to have USB-C iPhone for the EU and Lighting ones for the rest of the world, their manufacturing partners we could do it pretty easily and for virtually no additional cost (it would probably be even easier than the US-specific phones without a SIM card slot). There is no factory logistics issue here.

The reason Apple won’t do this is that if they did, they know everyone outside the EU would be complaining about lightning and asking why they don’t have USB-C as well. Lightning played a role, but aside from a small number of people who have a lot of accessories, a majority of Apple users are tired of it.
Where I could see Apple doing this though is with USB-D/Lightning2 or whatever the replacement for USB-C is in a few years as a “I told you so” to the EU.
 

gund1234

macrumors 6502a
Feb 21, 2022
740
673
TB4 uses USB-C as a connector, but it is not USB-C. While the articles says it should be USB-C.

And what happens if Intel decides to change the connector of Thunderbolt to something else. Then you are screwed because of Europe, as Apple is then stuck on outdated Thunderbolt.

And then we are back where we have different cables for computers (using the latest Thunderbolt) and smartphones.
USB C just controls port size, USB 4, Thunderbolt are data transfer protocols.
 

gund1234

macrumors 6502a
Feb 21, 2022
740
673
Especially since they haven’t even done anything with it. People always love to say „this will stop innovation“ yeah right, Apple is still using the same connector from literally 10 years ago on the iPhone today
Apple should have listened to EU 10 years ago and made Micro USB as standard in all mobile devices, that was the best connector. if they did, we would still be using Micro USB in Phones and tablets.

And if Apple & Intel didn't kick USB's ass by releasing Thunderbolt USB would still be struck with USB A connector with USB 3.0, version 2.0, Gen 2.2 with slow speeds.

Government shouldn't decide what technology to use because they don't know nothing about technology.
Technology advances fast, Governments are slow to pass laws.
And basically EU created a monopoly now.
Soon they will pass a law to breakup USB IF ?
 

gund1234

macrumors 6502a
Feb 21, 2022
740
673
Let’s be honest here. If Apple wanted to have USB-C iPhone for the EU and Lighting ones for the rest of the world, their manufacturing partners we could do it pretty easily and for virtually no additional cost (it would probably be even easier than the US-specific phones without a SIM card slot). There is no factory logistics issue here.

The reason Apple won’t do this is that if they did, they know everyone outside the EU would be complaining about lightning and asking why they don’t have USB-C as well. Lightning played a role, but aside from a small number of people who have a lot of accessories, a majority of Apple users are tired of it.
Let’s be honest here. If Apple wanted to have USB-C iPhone for the EU and Lighting ones for the rest of the world, their manufacturing partners we could do it pretty easily and for virtually no additional cost
looks like you never worked in manufacturing, i work in high volume manufacturing, it is nightmare to maintain supply chain.
Apple is doing with and with out SIM is because they will eventually get rid of physical SIM.
 

gund1234

macrumors 6502a
Feb 21, 2022
740
673
Yes. The Lightning port is a real joke now. USB 2.0 speeds (just a couple of iPad Pros are capable of USB 3.0 over Lightning) and the HDMI adapter contains a H.264 decompression chip because they can't pump native video over Lightning.
I know i connect my phone like 10 times a day to transfer videos and photos, each transfer is like 30/40 GB, i need Thunderbolt 4 connection actually.
I am sure almost every one connects their phone to their laptop/desktop multiple times a day to transfer data, slow USB 2.0 speeds don't help.
 

Detnator

macrumors 6502a
Nov 25, 2011
515
452
Sounds like an agree to disagree.

IMHO Apple saw the writing on the wall with the EU mandate on charging ports and implemented both. I don't see how it could be argued that USBC is a superior charging platform for laptops over MagSafe, I hope Apple keeps it while being forced to support a separate and inferior technology.

Sounds like an agree to change your mind and agree (assuming you’re a reasonably rational person)…?

You’re saying Apple saw the writing on the wall for this law in 2022 when they were designing, and ditching MagSafe in favor of USBC only on the 12” MB and 2016 MBP … in 2014?

It sounds like that’s what you’re saying but I doubt it’s what you meant. I suspect you’re arguing they should have ditched USB-C charging on the new 2021 MBPs (in favor of MagSafe), and would have done so if not for this EU law.

In which case you’d be wrong — this law had nothing to do with it.

It’s a requirement of the thunderbolt 4 spec that it support both data transfer and charging, among other details.

Surely you’re not suggesting they should have ditched thunderbolt?

Aside from which, as someone else also pointed out, the ability to charge through the USB-C port means all the docking capabilities USB-C and TB3/4 bring. What use is MagSafe if your MBP’s primary tethered use is connected to a monitor or dock that provides power to it as well as data. It would have been very stupid for Apple to go out of their way to remove that functionality and enforce MagSafe as the ONLY charging option.

When Apple added back the “legacy” data ports to the MBP (HDMI, SD) it came at the cost of the fourth TB port because of the PCI lane limitations. So my MBP now has two ports I’ll never use and is missing one I would have used and there’s no way to have both. Those who want HDMI/SD got it, at the cost of something I lost. I wish Apple hadn’t done that but I understand others’ needs are different to mine and I accept it.

However, unlike that situation, having both USB-C and MagSafe as charging options is added convenience and choice with no loss for anyone.

All that said, I agree with others that lightning is a far superior port when it comes to durability and reliability and if Apple had shared that with the world that might have been the connector for TB3/4, USB4, etc instead of the flaky crap that USB-C is and we’d all have a lot less broken ports and connectors.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: icanhazmac

ct2k7

macrumors G3
Aug 29, 2008
8,369
3,436
London
Those advocating wireless charging…how fast is wireless charging? Currently my iPhone charges faster via cable compared to MagSafe. Will charging standards (either proprietary or open) supersede cable charging in two years? Unlikely I think.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nuvi and Basic75

nsayer

macrumors 65816
Jan 23, 2003
1,250
775
Silicon Valley
Apple should simply divest entirely from the European market and tell the EU parliament to do something unmentionable with themselves.

I am absolutely serious. We should do everything we can to quarantine European regulatory overreach to Europe.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: WiiDSmoker

Algr

macrumors 6502
Jul 27, 2022
328
366
Earth (mostly)
Apple should simply divest entirely from the European market...
I wish Europe would dump the Apple/Microsoft and Apple/Android duopolies and invest in systems that they own themselves to free Europeans from corporate overreach and profiteering. If a real free market existed, we wouldn't be stuck with zombie lighting that hasn't improved in 10 years.
 

Nuvi

macrumors 65816
Feb 7, 2008
1,099
810
TB4 uses USB-C as a connector, but it is not USB-C. While the articles says it should be USB-C.

And what happens if Intel decides to change the connector of Thunderbolt to something else. Then you are screwed because of Europe, as Apple is then stuck on outdated Thunderbolt.

And then we are back where we have different cables for computers (using the latest Thunderbolt) and smartphones.

EU ruling is about the connector type not the data transfer protocol used. Actually, you could have just dumb port for charging. Similarly you could have USB-C connector using some future unknown protocol and it would be perfectly fine. Therefore, TB4 with USB-C is fine. If I’m not mistaken there was a rumour about high end iPhone 15 having Thunderbolt 4 and the low end only USB 2 (that’s just Apple being 😈). That would mean 40Gbps transfer for the Pro/Max/Ultra (or whatever the high end will be) and only 480 Mbps for the low end.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.