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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 mod
by 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Apple Pencil recharges using it, and putting USB-C inside of the newer iPads would have either required updating the outdated pencil to USB-C (expensive) or retrofit for the older designs the magnet latch they made for the new Apple Pencil they ship with the iPad Pros.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 agoWhy 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 agoIt'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.