The thing is, had Apple announced the exact same thing but replaced the Lightning-connector with USB Type C, everything would have been sort-of-okay. Yeah, losi

The thing is, had Apple announced the exact same thing but replaced the Lightning-connector with USB Type C, everything would have been sort-of-okay. Yeah, losing legacy support sucks but there's at least a decent argument to be made for the advantages of going digital audio only [1]. More importantly, USB is also an open, well-known standard that everyone can develop for, whilst the Type C connector covers all technical and functional requirements Apple has for the connection [2]. Would it have been "courageous" to take this step, cutting out legacy and receiving all the criticism for cutting out our favourite audio connection? I guess you could call it that, it's a big step to take. But Apple didn't. They announced it with their own propietary standard that you have to pay them money for, and doesn't work on any other manufacturer. They are creating their own little bubble of peripherals because they have the market power to do so. It's pure douchebaggery, and them calling that courage is supreme arrogance. [1]: That is in fact the Apple tried to make to distort the discussion. This post is not about this argument though. [2]: Or could even support Apple's additional requirements on the same connector with protocol extensions. (I made this point in the other iPhone thread too, sorry for reiterating it.)