Apple iPhone Power Port v. EU Regulators PING!
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Posted on 01/16/2020 6:27:12 PM PST by Theoria
Apple could be forced to abandon its Lightning connector cable if European lawmakers get their way.
The cable is used to charge and sync Apple devices, including the iPhone.
But members of the European Parliament urged the European Commission on Monday to force tech giants to adopt a single universal charging method.
Apple products do not accept the other two non-wireless types of charger which are available - USB-C and micro-USB, which work on Android devices.
Regulators will vote on the matter on a yet to be determined date, but Apple says the proposed regulation would stifle innovation and be disruptive to consumers. How likely is this to happen?
If the regulator enforces its proposed regulation, Apple devices sold in Europe would be required to have a new charging method.
It is likely Apple would then adopt USB-C, considering the company's 2019 iPad Pro ditched Lightning in favour of the technology.
A new cable would mark the tech giant's third in 13 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
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Our family has all Samsung devices, including watches, as of Christmas 2019. We all use one charger and all have fresh batteries each morning. The OS is easy to use and all can use our two windows laptops to transfer music and video files via “drag and drop” vs. proprietary Itunes.
My wife was a huge Apple fan until 18 months ago when we officially switched. She’s not into “tech” but she’s never complained for the first time in our married lives and she has said she’d never go back to Apple.
While I like the connector better, Itunes agitates me so I don’t use Apple products anymore.
I always thought the “B-17 Bomber!” intro sounded like Slim Pickens. I just listened on YouTube and it really doesn’t. I never had Bomb Squad and if I ever order a copy, I’ll leave it home when I travel!
Apple has ALWAYS been about closed systems and proprietary technology since the first Macintosh. Innovation has ZERO to do with it. "Wintel" has always out-innovated Apple, which is why they were ultimately forced to drop Motorola processors.
I just kinda wish that Apple would make cables that didn’t fray and fail so quickly.
If Brexit really means Brexit, the EU’s threat might be pretty toothless.
While the newer portable devices do support “wireless charging” there is still a need to move data via wires.
If the margins on phones suck, that may be how the tech companies are making their money, on hugely overpriced accessories.
This is Apple’s choice, good, bad, or indifferent, and a government has no business forcing Apple to comply.
My wife was a huge Apple fan until 18 months ago when we officially switched. She’s not into “tech” but she’s never complained for the first time in our married lives and she has said she’d never go back to Apple.
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Me too. While I like the Apple operating system much better than Windows , Tim has screwed the pooch with hardware.
Slick esthetically beautiful machines, you have to carry a bag full of unique doo-dads to connect it to anything.
Defeats the purpose of a laptop, IMO.
I have to disagree. My early laptops had pcmcia, smart card readers, sim card readers, usb and a huge variety of video connectors. Now I have a macbook with USB-C which does everything, and I rarely use it. I carry two adapters, one for video and one for USB-A, but almost never take them from my briefcase and use them. At my desk there is a combo ethernet power and at home there is just a power connector since I only use wireless networking at home.
USB-C power beats every other power connector. Can push power from a tiny flashlight battery to a car battery with varying currents and voltages.
It is not for lack of tying that Microsoft doesn't own everything in the OS world.
People here talk about cables as nothing more than an extension cable, they are not. Each cable has a processor built into the cable. Microprocessors can contain a virus and I am sure many do. Remember StuxNet was built into a printer.
People think there is only one USB cable end when there are many more than Apple uses. Thunderbolt may in fact become a standard, one can hope, but until then I would be happy for one charger type that worked everywhere. Remember when they used to change the ground position on the plugs and you could destroy something by plugging the wrong one in, even if connector was the same? Apple used to use a differently wired ADB port, same plug different pin out configuration.
How about battery operated tools? Find a tool company and you will find a proprietary battery. Why not like car batteries, different physical sizes, but same else wise. Of course even then they used to reverse the position of the positive cables, no idea if they still do that but not all cars used to be negative grounded.
Wallwarts are the biggest offenders in my opinion, many of them take up two or more wall plug positions and dozens of different plug configurations.
I did pick up a multi end magnetic USB cable that lets you plug the appropriate connecter into a device and attach the cable magnetically, think there were three different ends with each cable.
Personally, I’d like to see one cable for all devices, but having it mandated by governmental fiat is unconscionable. It also doesn’t do anything for legacy devices. When I travel, I pack a bag with usb-a/b/c and lightning cables, along with other things. It’s a PITA, but is the way things are, as I don’t toss things that still function. Heck, I have a little device about the size of a credit card and about 3 times as thick that has adapters for everything if I need them.
And this the problem with the leviathan bureaucracy known as the EU. Sure consumers would like a universal plug, but governments do not have the right to dictate business practices to a corporation. Apple needs to fight the EU and tell them to kiss off.
That sounds useful. Might have to see if I can find something similar. Do you know the brand?
To the EU managerial society, aspirational means, every-vun conforms.
It’s not about having a charger that works for everything. It’s about charging 3 times as much for your nonstandard charger. Companies buck the standards for the cash. It’s a dick move. I don’t think it’s a situation for the government to deal with, but I strongly avoid all companies that do it. Screw them.
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