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Why did they keep the lightning connector? The Pro uses a USB-C. I wonder why they stuck with lightning for these models? I'm an Android guy, fed up with t

Why did they keep the lightning connector? The Pro uses a USB-C. I wonder why they stuck with lightning for these models? I'm an Android guy, fed up with the clunky experience on Android / Amazon tablets, and thinking of making the switch & getting an air, mainly for media consumption during business travel. The last thing I want is a unique-to-me charging adapter that I'm sure I'm going to leave in a hotel or on a plane and only realize when the battery is dying with 3 hours left in a flight. If it's USB-C, then I can just carry my phone charger (and backup) and not worry about it.

electriclove 8y ago
Exactly! Why announce brand new products with Lightning connectors rather than USB-C (when the flagship in the category, the iPad Pro, already made the switch)? And same with the Pencil gen 1 only support.. This could be a way for them to save on some manufacturing costs and also offer a 'new' iPad Air and iPad mini with USB-C and Pencil 2 support later.
- baybal2 8y ago
  They needed type-c to lure in "pro" people
qalmakka 8y ago
Because this is just an update of the old model; they haven't changed everything they could keep the same (see TouchID instead of FaceID) to avoid having to modify their production lines in any way, thus minimizing costs. They kept lightning because the first-gen Apple Pencil recharges using it, and putting USB-C inside of the newer iPads would have either required updating the outdated pencil to USB-C (expensive) or retrofit for the older designs the magnet latch they made for the new Apple Pencil they ship with the iPad Pros. It's just a matter of cost.
- tw04 8y ago
  Why do you think a switch from lighting to usb-c would be "expensive"? They were part of the USB-C design committee and there's no licensing involved. From a physical change perspective lightning has only 8 lanes, USB-C has 24 - I'm confident they can find a way to make the transition pretty painless, especially since the pen only really needs to support charging by that port.
  - qalmakka 8y ago
    It's a matter of modifying both the logic board and the chassis to accommodate the different components. It has a reasonable cost and also requires substantial modifications to the existing accessory ecosystem and product lines. Even the smallest changes have deep and profound economical ripercussions at these scales, no matter how small they are. Companies like Apple invest a lot of money on designs and they want to stretch the amount of times they use them as long as they can.
jdgoesmarching 8y ago
I would imagine enterprise (POS, conference rooms, etc) is a big use of the Mini and they appreciate not having to switch out entirely different connectors. We easily use about 200 for our meeting rooms and the decision to upgrade them if it ever comes will probably be made easier by having the same connector.
ppeetteerr 8y ago
It's not that bad. Just carry a cable around if you're concerned. You can usually go through a 6hour flight on a single charge watching a movie.
graeme 8y ago
It’s actually just the cable you need. Should work with your current adaptor. Lightning cables are also everywhere, so if you ever lose it you can borrow one or replace in about 10 min. There will surely be at least a half dozen right around you on a flight. Usb c would obviously be more convenient for your use case, but I wouldn’t make this into a big deal.

electriclove 8y ago

Exactly! Why announce brand new products with Lightning connectors rather than USB-C (when the flagship in the category, the iPad Pro, already made the switch)? And same with the Pencil gen 1 only support.. This could be a way for them to save on some manufacturing costs and also offer a 'new' iPad Air and iPad mini with USB-C and Pencil 2 support later.

baybal2 8y ago
They needed type-c to lure in "pro" people

qalmakka 8y ago

Because this is just an update of the old model; they haven't changed everything they could keep the same (see TouchID instead of FaceID) to avoid having to modify their production lines in any way, thus minimizing costs. They kept lightning because the first-gen Apple Pencil recharges using it, and putting USB-C inside of the newer iPads would have either required updating the outdated pencil to USB-C (expensive) or retrofit for the older designs the magnet latch they made for the new Apple Pencil they ship with the iPad Pros. It's just a matter of cost.

tw04 8y ago
Why do you think a switch from lighting to usb-c would be "expensive"? They were part of the USB-C design committee and there's no licensing involved. From a physical change perspective lightning has only 8 lanes, USB-C has 24 - I'm confident they can find a way to make the transition pretty painless, especially since the pen only really needs to support charging by that port.
- qalmakka 8y ago
  It's a matter of modifying both the logic board and the chassis to accommodate the different components. It has a reasonable cost and also requires substantial modifications to the existing accessory ecosystem and product lines. Even the smallest changes have deep and profound economical ripercussions at these scales, no matter how small they are. Companies like Apple invest a lot of money on designs and they want to stretch the amount of times they use them as long as they can.

jdgoesmarching 8y ago

I would imagine enterprise (POS, conference rooms, etc) is a big use of the Mini and they appreciate not having to switch out entirely different connectors. We easily use about 200 for our meeting rooms and the decision to upgrade them if it ever comes will probably be made easier by having the same connector.

ppeetteerr 8y ago

It's not that bad. Just carry a cable around if you're concerned. You can usually go through a 6hour flight on a single charge watching a movie.

graeme 8y ago

It’s actually just the cable you need. Should work with your current adaptor. Lightning cables are also everywhere, so if you ever lose it you can borrow one or replace in about 10 min. There will surely be at least a half dozen right around you on a flight. Usb c would obviously be more convenient for your use case, but I wouldn’t make this into a big deal.