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I recently bought an Apple TV. It's a great device, but comes with a remote that's USB-C charged. That's fine except that it doesn't come with a USB-C cable, no

I recently bought an Apple TV. It's a great device, but comes with a remote that's USB-C charged. That's fine except that it doesn't come with a USB-C cable, nor does the device have a USB port that could be used for charging the remote. So I ended up having to buy a third party USB charger and cable (I just don't have that much USB-C stuff laying around). That pissed me off and I wasn't shy about, politely, letting the staff in the Apple Store know it - to be fair, they agreed with me it was ridiculous. I can't overstate how much I dislike it when I buy a consumer device and everything I need to operate said device isn't included in the box. With that being said, the EU can fuck right off with this USB-C insistence. I've been using iPhones for 13 years now personally, and for 6 years with work. I have lightning cables coming out of my ears (a mixture of first and third party). Charging devices up with a lightning cable is incredibly convenient, and especially since I have USB connectors in many of the power sockets around my house. All of that is rendered useless because of the EU's loathsome meddling. (I am generally an EU fan, but live in the UK which of course is no longer part of the EU. I can't say I'm at all happy about that but what I'm even less happy about is that even though we could potentially go a different route here, and a better route for people already in the Apple ecosystem who have the necessary accessories, Apple will no doubt consider it easier to supply EU compliant iPhones in the UK, for which I can't really blame them, but I'll gladly shake my fist at Brussels over it.)

capableweb 3y ago
So you're mad that the regulation doesn't personally take your specific situation into account? Could you maybe see or understand that maybe the regulation is a bit more "big picture" than specific individuals needs, like society at large?
- bartread 3y ago
  > So you're mad that the regulation doesn't personally take your specific situation into account? There are millions of iPhone users in the UK. It seems unlikely that I'm the only one with a bunch of soon to be useless cables.
  - capableweb 3y ago
    The majority of people in the world (EU included) have a different phone than iPhone. Also, bit unrelated to bring up the UK (or your UK-situation) with all of this, the submission is about a EU regulation. But you seem to already get that. However: > Apple will no doubt consider it easier to supply EU compliant iPhones in the UK, for which I can't really blame them, but I'll gladly shake my fist at Brussels over it. Aren't Apple the ones you should bitch about instead? EU forces Apple to act within EU regulation in the EU-zone, and Apple might just follow EU regulation in the UK because it's easier, and then you blame the EU?
kstenerud 3y ago
> Charging devices up with a lightning cable is incredibly convenient, and especially since I have USB connectors in many of the power sockets around my house. All of that is rendered useless because of the EU's loathsome meddling. How is all of that rendered useless? You have the USB connectors in your power sockets already, so all that's left to do is plug a USB-A to USB-C cable in.
mszcz 3y ago
It's not EU's loathsome meddling, it's Apple's loathsome insistince on using a proprietary cable for years and years to make an extra buck that has your knickers in a twist now.
- misnome 3y ago
  Which cable should they have used instead?
  - ThatPlayer 3y ago
    They shouldn't have made it proprietary. Lightning could've been the USB-C instead of what we got.
    - blokey 3y ago
      You do realize that Apple designed the connector for USB-C and donated it to the consortium.
      - ThatPlayer 3y ago
        So why not do that with Lightning too? It's still proprietary to this day.
        CrimsonRain 3y ago
        I've read rumors that they actually did that first but due to politics, the USB consortium decided to use a new physical port design.
    - sbuk 3y ago
      Well blame the consortium members that rejected it over Micro USB!
  - Moldoteck 3y ago
    Switch to usb-c just like they did with ipads? And laptops?
pritambaral 3y ago
> With that being said, the EU can fuck right off with this USB-C insistence. I've been using iPhones for 13 years now personally, and for 6 years with work. I have lightning cables coming out of my ears (a mixture of first and third party). Charging devices up with a lightning cable is incredibly convenient, and especially since I have USB connectors in many of the power sockets around my house. All of that is rendered useless because of the EU's loathsome meddling. I'm glad at least someone is forcing a notoriously hostile company like Apple to play ball. Like you, I too have many cables all over my home and office. Charging my devices with any of them is incredibly convenient, especially since I never have to check if it's the right cable or not. All of that is rendered useless when my girlfriend needs to charge her phone though, because the manufacturer decided it was worth it to price gouge its customers over fucking chargers of all things. And this is the situation without any Apple phones involved. Both our phones support USB-C. But her phone is old enough and from a scummy manufacturer that hadn't been forced to stick to the standard when selling that phone.
jon-wood 3y ago
You’re aware USB-A to USB-C cables exist right? None of your wall sockets are rendered obsolete, although admittedly you’ll need a few new cables/adapters.
- a13o 3y ago
  GP's USB wall sockets will be obsolete in short order, not because of Apple, but because the USB Power Delivery standards are still rapidly evolving. The latest version can even power high energy devices like workstation laptops and displays. But unless they bought cutting edge tech after 2021, chances are whatever got put in the wall sockets is low-power USB-A and destined for obsolescence in a handful of years.
  - jon-wood 3y ago
    I don’t think it is destined for obsolescence. They were presumably installed to charge phones and other low power devices, which they will continue to do.
plastic3169 3y ago
I think Apple not providing all the parts needed to charge the iPhone is more surprising. Reduced waste is great but at the same time it is a way to myddy the total cost of buying a gadget. Apple cables are quite expensive and break in use. What comes to apple tv remote, I have never charged mine and it’s been running over a year. I’m pretty happy I didn’t receive yet another usb-c with mine.
ThatPlayer 3y ago
But we can't stay on Lightning just because it's convenient, otherwise we'd still be on Apple's 30-pin connector. Even Apple seem to think USB-C is better and was one of the first to move to USB-C with the Macbook. iPad Pros have been USB-C for years, with the regular iPad finally getting USB-C recently. Should we have a law instead of force Apple to keep using Lightning to fix your Apple TV remote anecdote?
ta1243 3y ago
> I've been using iPhones for 13 years now personally, and for 6 years with work. I have lightning cables coming out of my ears (a mixture of first and third party) I had loads of pre-lightning connectors. I've still got two clock ratios with those connectors on. Apple change to lightning created tons of e-waste then.
dzhiurgis 3y ago
Apple should push Lightning iPhones onto UK for next 20 years just to piss brits off.
- dfawcus 3y ago
  That wouldn't work. Anyone from the GB wanting a USB-C iPhone could just pop across to Ireland (including Northern Ireland - it being in the UK but following EU SM rules), buy one, and take it in to GB.

capableweb 3y ago

So you're mad that the regulation doesn't personally take your specific situation into account? Could you maybe see or understand that maybe the regulation is a bit more "big picture" than specific individuals needs, like society at large?

bartread 3y ago
> So you're mad that the regulation doesn't personally take your specific situation into account? There are millions of iPhone users in the UK. It seems unlikely that I'm the only one with a bunch of soon to be useless cables.
- capableweb 3y ago
  The majority of people in the world (EU included) have a different phone than iPhone. Also, bit unrelated to bring up the UK (or your UK-situation) with all of this, the submission is about a EU regulation. But you seem to already get that. However: > Apple will no doubt consider it easier to supply EU compliant iPhones in the UK, for which I can't really blame them, but I'll gladly shake my fist at Brussels over it. Aren't Apple the ones you should bitch about instead? EU forces Apple to act within EU regulation in the EU-zone, and Apple might just follow EU regulation in the UK because it's easier, and then you blame the EU?

kstenerud 3y ago

> Charging devices up with a lightning cable is incredibly convenient, and especially since I have USB connectors in many of the power sockets around my house. All of that is rendered useless because of the EU's loathsome meddling. How is all of that rendered useless? You have the USB connectors in your power sockets already, so all that's left to do is plug a USB-A to USB-C cable in.

mszcz 3y ago

It's not EU's loathsome meddling, it's Apple's loathsome insistince on using a proprietary cable for years and years to make an extra buck that has your knickers in a twist now.

misnome 3y ago
Which cable should they have used instead?
- ThatPlayer 3y ago
  They shouldn't have made it proprietary. Lightning could've been the USB-C instead of what we got.
  - blokey 3y ago
    You do realize that Apple designed the connector for USB-C and donated it to the consortium.
    - ThatPlayer 3y ago
      So why not do that with Lightning too? It's still proprietary to this day.
      - CrimsonRain 3y ago
        I've read rumors that they actually did that first but due to politics, the USB consortium decided to use a new physical port design.
  - sbuk 3y ago
    Well blame the consortium members that rejected it over Micro USB!
- Moldoteck 3y ago
  Switch to usb-c just like they did with ipads? And laptops?

pritambaral 3y ago

> With that being said, the EU can fuck right off with this USB-C insistence. I've been using iPhones for 13 years now personally, and for 6 years with work. I have lightning cables coming out of my ears (a mixture of first and third party). Charging devices up with a lightning cable is incredibly convenient, and especially since I have USB connectors in many of the power sockets around my house. All of that is rendered useless because of the EU's loathsome meddling. I'm glad at least someone is forcing a notoriously hostile company like Apple to play ball. Like you, I too have many cables all over my home and office. Charging my devices with any of them is incredibly convenient, especially since I never have to check if it's the right cable or not. All of that is rendered useless when my girlfriend needs to charge her phone though, because the manufacturer decided it was worth it to price gouge its customers over fucking chargers of all things. And this is the situation without any Apple phones involved. Both our phones support USB-C. But her phone is old enough and from a scummy manufacturer that hadn't been forced to stick to the standard when selling that phone.

jon-wood 3y ago

You’re aware USB-A to USB-C cables exist right? None of your wall sockets are rendered obsolete, although admittedly you’ll need a few new cables/adapters.

a13o 3y ago
GP's USB wall sockets will be obsolete in short order, not because of Apple, but because the USB Power Delivery standards are still rapidly evolving. The latest version can even power high energy devices like workstation laptops and displays. But unless they bought cutting edge tech after 2021, chances are whatever got put in the wall sockets is low-power USB-A and destined for obsolescence in a handful of years.
- jon-wood 3y ago
  I don’t think it is destined for obsolescence. They were presumably installed to charge phones and other low power devices, which they will continue to do.

plastic3169 3y ago

I think Apple not providing all the parts needed to charge the iPhone is more surprising. Reduced waste is great but at the same time it is a way to myddy the total cost of buying a gadget. Apple cables are quite expensive and break in use. What comes to apple tv remote, I have never charged mine and it’s been running over a year. I’m pretty happy I didn’t receive yet another usb-c with mine.

ThatPlayer 3y ago

But we can't stay on Lightning just because it's convenient, otherwise we'd still be on Apple's 30-pin connector. Even Apple seem to think USB-C is better and was one of the first to move to USB-C with the Macbook. iPad Pros have been USB-C for years, with the regular iPad finally getting USB-C recently. Should we have a law instead of force Apple to keep using Lightning to fix your Apple TV remote anecdote?

ta1243 3y ago

> I've been using iPhones for 13 years now personally, and for 6 years with work. I have lightning cables coming out of my ears (a mixture of first and third party) I had loads of pre-lightning connectors. I've still got two clock ratios with those connectors on. Apple change to lightning created tons of e-waste then.

dzhiurgis 3y ago

Apple should push Lightning iPhones onto UK for next 20 years just to piss brits off.

dfawcus 3y ago
That wouldn't work. Anyone from the GB wanting a USB-C iPhone could just pop across to Ireland (including Northern Ireland - it being in the UK but following EU SM rules), buy one, and take it in to GB.