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I like the lightning connector for this reason, it has the reversibility of USB-C while not suffering from a terrible lack of structural integrity. I can pinch

I like the lightning connector for this reason, it has the reversibility of USB-C while not suffering from a terrible lack of structural integrity. I can pinch the damn thing into a pancake, so weak!

hdjjhhvvhga 5y ago
Really? Personally I hate the lightining socket for the lack of durability. It's the first thing that breaks in all my iPhones. Granted, it starts happening gradually after 5 years or so, but it's not an issue with my Samsungs some of which are 10-years old. When you combine it with a battery that is non-replaceable* by the user, it basically encourages you to throw away otherwise a perfectly working device. My iPhone 5S is still able to make calls and send messages as well as take pictures. So is my iPhone 7. Except that both have broken lightning ports that I had to replace. For me, that's the single point of failure on an otherwise excellent device. And I'm still using my old iPad and iPod with the wide connector - no any problems whatsoever! * Granted, it's a problem of many if not most phones now, but arguably it was Apple who started that insane trend.
- lewantmontreal 5y ago
  Usb-c ports on macbooks are pretty famous for wearing out so you start to get external display connection problems. Although like you said I also had to replace the lightning port on my iPhone so I guess they might not be that different.
- AyyWS 5y ago
  > my Samsungs some of which are 10-years old Samsung cutting off upgrades to my 1 year old phone is why I switched to iPhone. I didn't want to mess with CyanogenMod on a phone I used for work. I'd prefer a phone with software and hardware that lasts 5 years instead of a phone with software that lasts 1 year and hardware lasts 10.
  - rektide 5y ago
    My S9 is well into year 4 & gets security updates. When it's done getting Samsung support I can install LineageOS. Im not aware of Samsung making any phones with 1 life support. I have a OnePlus6T that runs a mainline linux kernel. This will run forever.
    - AyyWS 5y ago
      Galaxy S2 or S4. I don't want an unofficial OS or security updates only.
    - Spooky23 5y ago
      It depends on the carrier.
      - rektide 5y ago
        my s9 doesnt. my oneplus 6t doesnt. both are "customer provided equipement". the s9 still gets manufacturer updates. the oneplus will allegedly be supported by mainline linux for decades.
- HWR_14 5y ago
  > My iPhone 5S is still able to make calls and send messages as well as take pictures. So is my iPhone 7. Except that both have broken lightning ports that I had to replace That doesn't correlate to my experience. My iPhone 5S: - Cannot make calls or text, because the towers that power 3G have been shut down. - Charges perfectly fine over lightning - Is stuck on iOS 12 - Takes pictures (we agree on this one!) Meanwhile, it needs a new battery to have a longer lifespan. That's the only single point of failure. I'll contrast that to the various Android devices, where the first point of failure is the USB port. I will say, at one point I thought that the lightning port was failing. A piece of trash had gotten trapped in it. Removing the blockage fixed the problem.
cycomanic 5y ago
Funny pretty much half of the lightning cables I see are completely falling apart, let's not even talk about the fact that leaving contacts exposed to where they can be touched by fatty fingers is generally a terrible idea. I guess that's also why we haven't seen lightning being upgraded to speeds beyond USB2 speeds.
- RL_Quine 5y ago
  The speed of lightning seems pretty irrelevant, it is not meaningfully used for anything other than charging and carplay at this point. Adding in a USB3 bus is a waste of money.
  - hannasanarion 5y ago
    Continuing to make, ship, and sell single-purpose cables that are only compatible with a single device model is also a waste of money.
    - Melatonic 5y ago
      I agree - why Apple has stuck with it for so long is beyond me. They have gone USB-C on their laptops big time so why not just switch the iOS devices as well?
      - Spooky23 5y ago
        Easy. Replacement of a $10 cable is better than a $1000 iPhone pro when the contacts wear out. When they flip to USB, they’ll use some sort of wireless solution.
    - devonbleak 5y ago
      Not saying it's the be all end all of connectors but it's also used on all their mac accessories at this point. I have a single lightning cable at my desk that charges keyboard, trackpad, airpods and phone. Only thing it doesn't do is the watch.
  - 5y ago
KptMarchewa 5y ago
Where Apple got to trillion dollar capitalization the first time, the joke was that it have done it due to savings on shitty lightning cables.
markstos 5y ago
Lightning connectors don't have enough pins to replace all that USB-C connectors do.
- cosmotic 5y ago
  AFAIK they can't even handle USB3
bcrl 5y ago
I find the pins on the connector on all my lightning cables gets scorched and stops working no matter what brand or quality of cable I buy. It is as if iPhones don't limit current inrush and the gold plating on the cable arcs and is worn off when the connector is plugged in. The connectors on the phone, however, are fine for years.

I like the lightning connector for this reason, it has the reversibility of USB-C while not suffering from a terrible lack of structural integrity. I can pinch the damn thing into a pancake, so weak!

hdjjhhvvhga 5y ago

Really? Personally I hate the lightining socket for the lack of durability. It's the first thing that breaks in all my iPhones. Granted, it starts happening gradually after 5 years or so, but it's not an issue with my Samsungs some of which are 10-years old. When you combine it with a battery that is non-replaceable* by the user, it basically encourages you to throw away otherwise a perfectly working device. My iPhone 5S is still able to make calls and send messages as well as take pictures. So is my iPhone 7. Except that both have broken lightning ports that I had to replace. For me, that's the single point of failure on an otherwise excellent device. And I'm still using my old iPad and iPod with the wide connector - no any problems whatsoever! * Granted, it's a problem of many if not most phones now, but arguably it was Apple who started that insane trend.

lewantmontreal 5y ago
Usb-c ports on macbooks are pretty famous for wearing out so you start to get external display connection problems. Although like you said I also had to replace the lightning port on my iPhone so I guess they might not be that different.
AyyWS 5y ago
> my Samsungs some of which are 10-years old Samsung cutting off upgrades to my 1 year old phone is why I switched to iPhone. I didn't want to mess with CyanogenMod on a phone I used for work. I'd prefer a phone with software and hardware that lasts 5 years instead of a phone with software that lasts 1 year and hardware lasts 10.
- rektide 5y ago
  My S9 is well into year 4 & gets security updates. When it's done getting Samsung support I can install LineageOS. Im not aware of Samsung making any phones with 1 life support. I have a OnePlus6T that runs a mainline linux kernel. This will run forever.
  - AyyWS 5y ago
    Galaxy S2 or S4. I don't want an unofficial OS or security updates only.
  - Spooky23 5y ago
    It depends on the carrier.
    - rektide 5y ago
      my s9 doesnt. my oneplus 6t doesnt. both are "customer provided equipement". the s9 still gets manufacturer updates. the oneplus will allegedly be supported by mainline linux for decades.
HWR_14 5y ago
> My iPhone 5S is still able to make calls and send messages as well as take pictures. So is my iPhone 7. Except that both have broken lightning ports that I had to replace That doesn't correlate to my experience. My iPhone 5S: - Cannot make calls or text, because the towers that power 3G have been shut down. - Charges perfectly fine over lightning - Is stuck on iOS 12 - Takes pictures (we agree on this one!) Meanwhile, it needs a new battery to have a longer lifespan. That's the only single point of failure. I'll contrast that to the various Android devices, where the first point of failure is the USB port. I will say, at one point I thought that the lightning port was failing. A piece of trash had gotten trapped in it. Removing the blockage fixed the problem.

cycomanic 5y ago

Funny pretty much half of the lightning cables I see are completely falling apart, let's not even talk about the fact that leaving contacts exposed to where they can be touched by fatty fingers is generally a terrible idea. I guess that's also why we haven't seen lightning being upgraded to speeds beyond USB2 speeds.

RL_Quine 5y ago
The speed of lightning seems pretty irrelevant, it is not meaningfully used for anything other than charging and carplay at this point. Adding in a USB3 bus is a waste of money.
- hannasanarion 5y ago
  Continuing to make, ship, and sell single-purpose cables that are only compatible with a single device model is also a waste of money.
  - Melatonic 5y ago
    I agree - why Apple has stuck with it for so long is beyond me. They have gone USB-C on their laptops big time so why not just switch the iOS devices as well?
    - Spooky23 5y ago
      Easy. Replacement of a $10 cable is better than a $1000 iPhone pro when the contacts wear out. When they flip to USB, they’ll use some sort of wireless solution.
  - devonbleak 5y ago
    Not saying it's the be all end all of connectors but it's also used on all their mac accessories at this point. I have a single lightning cable at my desk that charges keyboard, trackpad, airpods and phone. Only thing it doesn't do is the watch.
- 5y ago

KptMarchewa 5y ago

Where Apple got to trillion dollar capitalization the first time, the joke was that it have done it due to savings on shitty lightning cables.

markstos 5y ago

Lightning connectors don't have enough pins to replace all that USB-C connectors do.

cosmotic 5y ago
AFAIK they can't even handle USB3

bcrl 5y ago

I find the pins on the connector on all my lightning cables gets scorched and stops working no matter what brand or quality of cable I buy. It is as if iPhones don't limit current inrush and the gold plating on the cable arcs and is worn off when the connector is plugged in. The connectors on the phone, however, are fine for years.