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I want to like this, but I charge my iPhone with a cable that has lightning on one end and USB-C on the other, and I know from extensive direct experience that

by jl6 4y ago

I want to like this, but I charge my iPhone with a cable that has lightning on one end and USB-C on the other, and I know from extensive direct experience that the lightning end is the better physical design. Supporting this is tantamount to believing that there will never need to be a USB-D that improves upon USB-C, and I just can’t believe that.

torginus 4y ago
The problem with lightning is that the springs that fix the plug in place are on the port, not the cable. This is the part that wears out, and when it does, the port will need to be replaced, not the cable.
- vladvasiliu 4y ago
  How often does this happen in practice, though? My 6 year-old iPhone that I plug and unplug a bunch of times a day still keeps the plugs in very snuggly. They basically don't move. And I've pulled on the connector many, many times, by stepping on the cord and pulling the phone up. Contrast this with my 2 month-old laptop in which the usb-c cables move around, even though it spends 90% on the time plugged in. --- Edit: I did have connection issues at one point, but it was due to pocket lint that had accumulated inside the port. It was easily removable with a toothpick, and the connector went back to working like new.
  - dundarious 4y ago
    I had the same issue with the same toothpick solution, then 1 year later the spring really did fail and I essentially had to buy a new phone.
plonk 4y ago
> I know from extensive direct experience that the lightning end is the better physical design. What's so great about it? USB-C is just as easy to plug in and these cables usually last longer. The only difference for me is that Lightning eventually ends up with black pins and I have to buy another cable. Also, is it really worth the few technical advantages if the alternative is a good-enough plug that works with absolutely everything?
schleck8 4y ago
To counter, I've had around five lightning cables and 10 usb c cables and not once has a usb c cables failed me. It does not accumulate dust.
- mmis1000 4y ago
  Same, I used about 10 type c wire. The only two wire I used that failed so far are caused by 1. I stepped on it. 2. The junction between wire and head broken. I have more that probably 5 micro b wire failed on the head since I use cellphone. But for type c, it's literally 0.
glogla 4y ago
The previous standard was Micro-USB (that's why you still see it on dashcams, standalone GPSes, drawing tablets and other devices) and yet, USB-C came to exist.
kalleboo 4y ago
If there's a better standard in the future the law can be changed, they didn't put this in the constitution. I've never had a phone with USB-C to compare, but I've had rotten luck with Lightning. I always get that one power pin that blackens and makes the cable unreliable.
- taylodl 4y ago
  Yeah, me too. Or even though the cable is supposed to be reversible and yet my phone will only charge if the cable is inserted one way, but not the other. I've had that happen a lot too! I'm just glad USB-C has come along so we didn't do something foolish like standardize on Micro USB - I hate those ports! I recently bought two brand-new BT speakers and guess how they're charged? Micro USB! Grrrrrrr!!!
- matwood 4y ago
  > the law can be changed Basically there will never be a usb-d.
  - kalleboo 4y ago
    The only way I see there being a need to evolve from USB-C is if we see some major developments in optical (cost/size) The EU seems perfectly willing to adopt new standards if you look at what has been happening in mobile standards (e.g. despite 3G being standardized we got 4G, despite 4G being standardized we got 5G)
    - colejohnson66 4y ago
      3G/4G/5G isn't a good example. Standards evolve, but the issue many people have is that this isn't a standard, but a mandate to use said standard. So people are concerned that the USB Consortium will come up with a USB-D, but new devices won't be able to use it until the EU updates their law.
  - izacus 4y ago
    There's already Thunderbolt 4. And the requirement will expire in 2030. It's fine, stop with the drama.
bigDinosaur 4y ago
It's probably worth noting that iPads and Macbooks charge with USB-C, and that seems generally fine.
AndrewDucker 4y ago
From https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_21_4614 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_... Any technological developments in wired charging can be reflected in a timely adjustment of technical requirements/ specific standards under the Radio Equipment Directive. This would ensure that the technology used is not outdated. At the same time, the implementation of any new standards in further revisions of Radio Equipment Directive would need to be developed in a harmonised manner, respecting the objectives of full interoperability. Industry is therefore expected to continue the work already undertaken on the standardised interface, led by the USB-IF organisation, in view of developing new interoperable, open and non-controversial solutions.

by jl6 4y ago

torginus 4y ago

The problem with lightning is that the springs that fix the plug in place are on the port, not the cable. This is the part that wears out, and when it does, the port will need to be replaced, not the cable.

vladvasiliu 4y ago
How often does this happen in practice, though? My 6 year-old iPhone that I plug and unplug a bunch of times a day still keeps the plugs in very snuggly. They basically don't move. And I've pulled on the connector many, many times, by stepping on the cord and pulling the phone up. Contrast this with my 2 month-old laptop in which the usb-c cables move around, even though it spends 90% on the time plugged in. --- Edit: I did have connection issues at one point, but it was due to pocket lint that had accumulated inside the port. It was easily removable with a toothpick, and the connector went back to working like new.
- dundarious 4y ago
  I had the same issue with the same toothpick solution, then 1 year later the spring really did fail and I essentially had to buy a new phone.

plonk 4y ago

> I know from extensive direct experience that the lightning end is the better physical design. What's so great about it? USB-C is just as easy to plug in and these cables usually last longer. The only difference for me is that Lightning eventually ends up with black pins and I have to buy another cable. Also, is it really worth the few technical advantages if the alternative is a good-enough plug that works with absolutely everything?

schleck8 4y ago

To counter, I've had around five lightning cables and 10 usb c cables and not once has a usb c cables failed me. It does not accumulate dust.

mmis1000 4y ago
Same, I used about 10 type c wire. The only two wire I used that failed so far are caused by 1. I stepped on it. 2. The junction between wire and head broken. I have more that probably 5 micro b wire failed on the head since I use cellphone. But for type c, it's literally 0.

glogla 4y ago

The previous standard was Micro-USB (that's why you still see it on dashcams, standalone GPSes, drawing tablets and other devices) and yet, USB-C came to exist.

kalleboo 4y ago

If there's a better standard in the future the law can be changed, they didn't put this in the constitution. I've never had a phone with USB-C to compare, but I've had rotten luck with Lightning. I always get that one power pin that blackens and makes the cable unreliable.

taylodl 4y ago
Yeah, me too. Or even though the cable is supposed to be reversible and yet my phone will only charge if the cable is inserted one way, but not the other. I've had that happen a lot too! I'm just glad USB-C has come along so we didn't do something foolish like standardize on Micro USB - I hate those ports! I recently bought two brand-new BT speakers and guess how they're charged? Micro USB! Grrrrrrr!!!
matwood 4y ago
> the law can be changed Basically there will never be a usb-d.
- kalleboo 4y ago
  The only way I see there being a need to evolve from USB-C is if we see some major developments in optical (cost/size) The EU seems perfectly willing to adopt new standards if you look at what has been happening in mobile standards (e.g. despite 3G being standardized we got 4G, despite 4G being standardized we got 5G)
  - colejohnson66 4y ago
    3G/4G/5G isn't a good example. Standards evolve, but the issue many people have is that this isn't a standard, but a mandate to use said standard. So people are concerned that the USB Consortium will come up with a USB-D, but new devices won't be able to use it until the EU updates their law.
- izacus 4y ago
  There's already Thunderbolt 4. And the requirement will expire in 2030. It's fine, stop with the drama.

bigDinosaur 4y ago

It's probably worth noting that iPads and Macbooks charge with USB-C, and that seems generally fine.

AndrewDucker 4y ago

From https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_21_4614 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_... Any technological developments in wired charging can be reflected in a timely adjustment of technical requirements/ specific standards under the Radio Equipment Directive. This would ensure that the technology used is not outdated. At the same time, the implementation of any new standards in further revisions of Radio Equipment Directive would need to be developed in a harmonised manner, respecting the objectives of full interoperability. Industry is therefore expected to continue the work already undertaken on the standardised interface, led by the USB-IF organisation, in view of developing new interoperable, open and non-controversial solutions.