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"I have no expectation, for example, that these same regulators will stay on top of this and revise it when USB-C stops being the preferred or best choice." Wh

"I have no expectation, for example, that these same regulators will stay on top of this and revise it when USB-C stops being the preferred or best choice." Why? Everything is usb or lightning because people complained, and everyone but apple listened to people. If USB-C is no longer the best thing, rather than complain to 10 companies, and hope they all agree, they will complain to regulators, and hope they agree. What precisely is the difference you see? The regulators are at least accountable in some sense to the people, the companies are not.

scarface74 4y ago
Yes, because regulators are the best people to design technical products.
- DannyBee 4y ago
  They aren't designing anything, they mandate an overall requirement - "You must all use the same charge port". This is no different than any other customer - they are just representing the overall customers who would otherwise not have enough power or voice to achieve what they want. Also - if you don't want your industry regulated, maybe don't make a mess of it? Regulators rarely pay attention to things that are working super-well.
  - scarface74 4y ago
    If this had gone through the first time, we would have all been stuck with micro usb. Customers can choose to buy Android phones.
    - DannyBee 4y ago
      No, acutally, you would not have. You would have been stuck with a standard until they changed the standard. Which ... you are in the same boat now? Beyond that, this is the magical free market will fix everything. Despite all evidence to the contrary.
      - scarface74 4y ago
        So now we would have to wait years for lawmakers to approve the new standard? Yes, you are very free to choose an Android phone with USB-C if that’s what you want - just like over 65% of the EU does.
        deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
        DannyBee 4y ago
        No, actually, you wouldn't. As has been explained many times in this thread, that isn't how this kind of regulation works. I do understand that doesn't fit your narrative though. Rather than making lots of unfounded assertions about what "will" happen, as you keep doing, I would encourage you to actually read the details first.
        scarface74 4y ago
        Say I as a manufacturer have a new better connection than USB-C. How do I release my new connection without getting the entire industries buy in? If this had happened with computers, Apple would have been forced to include PS/2 slots and ISA instead of the much better ADB and Nubus slots.
        zaarn 4y ago
        You release the product with both ports. And then you tell the EU that you'd like your port to be approved as valid alternative. You'll probably have to explain why your connector is better as well as show that consumers won't suffer the cable problem due to the new port (ie, people won't have to buy adapters or chargers just for your device). Then the EU is probably happy to add your port to the directive (which as the directive explains, is a very lightweight process, it doesn't require relegislating anything), possibly even give other vendors a timeline to switch to it if USB-C is to be deprecated. Of course, you're likely going to have to license patents are low prices or risk the EU getting angry over exploitation of the market. Possibly even hand out patents for free and only charge a minor fee for the connector trademarks (like current USB).
    - diffeomorphism 4y ago
      They did and we haven't.
ubermonkey 4y ago
I'm really not away of a lot of Apple people complaining about Lightning. I mean, I am one, and lightning doesn't bother me at all and never has. I don't see a consumer win here, basically. I see overreach.
- DannyBee 4y ago
  They did complain, greatly, when apple first did it.
  - ubermonkey 4y ago
    People will always complain about a change, but Lightning was materially better than the Dock Connector in a whole bunch of ways so I think folks got won over pretty quickly. It's faster, it handles power better, it's more durable, and it's symmetrical. Hell, that last one alone probably won over a bunch of folks.

scarface74 4y ago

Yes, because regulators are the best people to design technical products.

DannyBee 4y ago
They aren't designing anything, they mandate an overall requirement - "You must all use the same charge port". This is no different than any other customer - they are just representing the overall customers who would otherwise not have enough power or voice to achieve what they want. Also - if you don't want your industry regulated, maybe don't make a mess of it? Regulators rarely pay attention to things that are working super-well.
- scarface74 4y ago
  If this had gone through the first time, we would have all been stuck with micro usb. Customers can choose to buy Android phones.
  - DannyBee 4y ago
    No, acutally, you would not have. You would have been stuck with a standard until they changed the standard. Which ... you are in the same boat now? Beyond that, this is the magical free market will fix everything. Despite all evidence to the contrary.
    - scarface74 4y ago
      So now we would have to wait years for lawmakers to approve the new standard? Yes, you are very free to choose an Android phone with USB-C if that’s what you want - just like over 65% of the EU does.
      - deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
      - DannyBee 4y ago
        No, actually, you wouldn't. As has been explained many times in this thread, that isn't how this kind of regulation works. I do understand that doesn't fit your narrative though. Rather than making lots of unfounded assertions about what "will" happen, as you keep doing, I would encourage you to actually read the details first.
        scarface74 4y ago
        Say I as a manufacturer have a new better connection than USB-C. How do I release my new connection without getting the entire industries buy in? If this had happened with computers, Apple would have been forced to include PS/2 slots and ISA instead of the much better ADB and Nubus slots.
        zaarn 4y ago
        You release the product with both ports. And then you tell the EU that you'd like your port to be approved as valid alternative. You'll probably have to explain why your connector is better as well as show that consumers won't suffer the cable problem due to the new port (ie, people won't have to buy adapters or chargers just for your device). Then the EU is probably happy to add your port to the directive (which as the directive explains, is a very lightweight process, it doesn't require relegislating anything), possibly even give other vendors a timeline to switch to it if USB-C is to be deprecated. Of course, you're likely going to have to license patents are low prices or risk the EU getting angry over exploitation of the market. Possibly even hand out patents for free and only charge a minor fee for the connector trademarks (like current USB).
  - diffeomorphism 4y ago
    They did and we haven't.

ubermonkey 4y ago

I'm really not away of a lot of Apple people complaining about Lightning. I mean, I am one, and lightning doesn't bother me at all and never has. I don't see a consumer win here, basically. I see overreach.

DannyBee 4y ago
They did complain, greatly, when apple first did it.
- ubermonkey 4y ago
  People will always complain about a change, but Lightning was materially better than the Dock Connector in a whole bunch of ways so I think folks got won over pretty quickly. It's faster, it handles power better, it's more durable, and it's symmetrical. Hell, that last one alone probably won over a bunch of folks.