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The reason Apple keeps forcing us to use lightning cable while everybody else uses USB-C is, well, money. Apple gets paid for every lightning cable sold and wou

The reason Apple keeps forcing us to use lightning cable while everybody else uses USB-C is, well, money. Apple gets paid for every lightning cable sold and would leave a lot of money on the table if we could simply use any of the USB-C ones available everywhere. Life would be easier with USB-C, and that day will come, but Apple will certainly put it off as long as they can.

jareklupinski 5y ago
remember firewire? you don't get to 2 Trillion without generating a ton of e-waste in your wake
- Koshkin 5y ago
  ... or mental waste, in the case of Microsoft
xiphias2 5y ago
For pro versions I don't think it's money. They can charge me extra for not having to use an adapter (just make ipod air pro more expensive). I'm happy to pay extra for USB-C. I think it's more to do with how Apple releases new products (no incremental updates without big announcements)
- raydev 5y ago
  I think you're underestimating the amount of shared production/tech between the two tiers of iPhones. I'd bet the cost of changing over to USB-C on only the expensive tier would outweigh the current MSRP difference. I'd also bet USB-C still isn't cheap enough at iPhone mass market scale. They're either waiting to use USB-C across all new models, or they're convinced wireless is worth waiting another few years.
raydev 5y ago
Disagree that it's about the relative pennies they make on cables. I think they were caught off guard by the enormous negative public reaction to Apple switching from 30-pin to Lightning. They knew they had to abandon the 30-pin prior to 2010, and the Lightning spec didn't materialize magically, years of design went into it. USB 3.1 and the associated USB-C wasn't even on Apple's radar when they started designing Lightning. I'm completely convinced that Apple would've liked to move to wireless charging before entertaining the idea that the port on the iPhone should switch to USB-C. Unfortunately wireless charging tech hasn't been up to their standards, and we've seen Apple back itself into similar corners with other computers/devices, where they miscalculated future performance. The fact of the matter is that families tend to have more than one iPhone, with cables that are shared, and iPhones get passed around as they age. I can't imagine how many articles will be written by the tech media and how many angry commenters on Facebook will be crying about perceived forced obsolecense if Apple were to switch USB-C. The money they make on Lightning cables simply does not matter.
- ksec 5y ago
  > I think they were caught off guard by the enormous negative public reaction to Apple switching from 30-pin to Lightning. I dont record any negative reaction. Everyone was looking at what seemingly like a small problem, being able to plug in any other way around, and Apple finally did it. >USB 3.1 and the associated USB-C wasn't even on Apple's radar when they started designing Lightning. Apple donated part of the work to make USB-C. They are well aware of USB-C >Disagree that it's about the relative pennies they make on cables. >The money they make on Lightning cables simply does not matter. Lightning Cable, or MFi is a multi hundred million dollar business a year. Most dont seems to realise the gigantic scale of MFi business.

jareklupinski 5y ago

remember firewire? you don't get to 2 Trillion without generating a ton of e-waste in your wake

Koshkin 5y ago
... or mental waste, in the case of Microsoft

xiphias2 5y ago

For pro versions I don't think it's money. They can charge me extra for not having to use an adapter (just make ipod air pro more expensive). I'm happy to pay extra for USB-C. I think it's more to do with how Apple releases new products (no incremental updates without big announcements)

raydev 5y ago
I think you're underestimating the amount of shared production/tech between the two tiers of iPhones. I'd bet the cost of changing over to USB-C on only the expensive tier would outweigh the current MSRP difference. I'd also bet USB-C still isn't cheap enough at iPhone mass market scale. They're either waiting to use USB-C across all new models, or they're convinced wireless is worth waiting another few years.

raydev 5y ago

Disagree that it's about the relative pennies they make on cables. I think they were caught off guard by the enormous negative public reaction to Apple switching from 30-pin to Lightning. They knew they had to abandon the 30-pin prior to 2010, and the Lightning spec didn't materialize magically, years of design went into it. USB 3.1 and the associated USB-C wasn't even on Apple's radar when they started designing Lightning. I'm completely convinced that Apple would've liked to move to wireless charging before entertaining the idea that the port on the iPhone should switch to USB-C. Unfortunately wireless charging tech hasn't been up to their standards, and we've seen Apple back itself into similar corners with other computers/devices, where they miscalculated future performance. The fact of the matter is that families tend to have more than one iPhone, with cables that are shared, and iPhones get passed around as they age. I can't imagine how many articles will be written by the tech media and how many angry commenters on Facebook will be crying about perceived forced obsolecense if Apple were to switch USB-C. The money they make on Lightning cables simply does not matter.

ksec 5y ago
> I think they were caught off guard by the enormous negative public reaction to Apple switching from 30-pin to Lightning. I dont record any negative reaction. Everyone was looking at what seemingly like a small problem, being able to plug in any other way around, and Apple finally did it. >USB 3.1 and the associated USB-C wasn't even on Apple's radar when they started designing Lightning. Apple donated part of the work to make USB-C. They are well aware of USB-C >Disagree that it's about the relative pennies they make on cables. >The money they make on Lightning cables simply does not matter. Lightning Cable, or MFi is a multi hundred million dollar business a year. Most dont seems to realise the gigantic scale of MFi business.