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That reputation for switching connectors frequently always felt unearned. The 30-pin and Lightning connectors were each used for a solid decade, which is longer

That reputation for switching connectors frequently always felt unearned. The 30-pin and Lightning connectors were each used for a solid decade, which is longer than the time between USB Mini and Micro, or Micro and C. The 30-pin kinda sucked, but so did USB-Mini, and Lightning came out before USB-C. My criticisms of Apple are vast, but their proprietary connectors never made the list.

masklinn 3y ago
It was unearned, but the 30-pin's ecosystem of accessories was so huge it was a pain in the ass to switch away from it, even tough it also was very long in the tooth by then. It's a lot less of an issue now a lot of stuff is wireless (even against one's desire), and USB-C's been there for a decade and has had time for accessories to surface with Android being mostly on there, even if the PC side remains mostly dreary. Plus since Apple has been slowly switching ipads over for a few years now I'd assume even in their galaxy there's a bunch of type C accessories available.
- appplication 3y ago
  In that sense Apple was a victim of their own success. The iPod (and maybe early iPhones had the 30-pin, I can’t remember) we’re so successful half of the hotels in America outfitted themselves with alarm clocks with the same connectors. 3rd party accessories for it became sort of ubiquitous, but it’s s big wild to think the alternative (should Apple have listened to the complains) would be to just… never improve their connectors? You really can’t please some folks, any change breaks someone’s mojo.
- squeaky-clean 3y ago
  > but the 30-pin's ecosystem of accessories was so huge it was a pain in the ass to switch away from it It's going to be even worse switching away from USB-C in 2033.
ars 3y ago
One difference is all the USB transitions could have simple adapters that are not electrically active, so incredibly inexpensive and small. Apple always tends to overcomplicate their stuff, and tends to make it very expensive.
- KeplerBoy 3y ago
  Is it different with lightning to USB-C? Surely it can also adapt passively, after all lightning connects passively to USB-A.
  - ars 3y ago
    It can, but Apple puts in a security chip to prevent you from doing so.

masklinn 3y ago

It was unearned, but the 30-pin's ecosystem of accessories was so huge it was a pain in the ass to switch away from it, even tough it also was very long in the tooth by then. It's a lot less of an issue now a lot of stuff is wireless (even against one's desire), and USB-C's been there for a decade and has had time for accessories to surface with Android being mostly on there, even if the PC side remains mostly dreary. Plus since Apple has been slowly switching ipads over for a few years now I'd assume even in their galaxy there's a bunch of type C accessories available.

appplication 3y ago
In that sense Apple was a victim of their own success. The iPod (and maybe early iPhones had the 30-pin, I can’t remember) we’re so successful half of the hotels in America outfitted themselves with alarm clocks with the same connectors. 3rd party accessories for it became sort of ubiquitous, but it’s s big wild to think the alternative (should Apple have listened to the complains) would be to just… never improve their connectors? You really can’t please some folks, any change breaks someone’s mojo.
squeaky-clean 3y ago
> but the 30-pin's ecosystem of accessories was so huge it was a pain in the ass to switch away from it It's going to be even worse switching away from USB-C in 2033.

ars 3y ago

One difference is all the USB transitions could have simple adapters that are not electrically active, so incredibly inexpensive and small. Apple always tends to overcomplicate their stuff, and tends to make it very expensive.

KeplerBoy 3y ago
Is it different with lightning to USB-C? Surely it can also adapt passively, after all lightning connects passively to USB-A.
- ars 3y ago
  It can, but Apple puts in a security chip to prevent you from doing so.