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Agreed. Lightening was most likely a combination of: * The connection interface was superior to USB-A Micro/Mini in both size and reliability - and this was t

by dijit 2y ago

Agreed. Lightening was most likely a combination of: * The connection interface was superior to USB-A Micro/Mini in both size and reliability - and this was the contemporary connector in 2012. * They had undergone a physical connector change only once, and it was not received well by vendors. * USB-C was not anywhere near ready for the iPhone 5, and the 40 pin would not do well in that type of device. * USB-C and Lightening are comparable on size and reliability (saying nothing about speed) - so even after USB- started gaining adoption there was not a strong incentive to switch over. It wasn't superior. * USB-C charging only would be fine, but people would expect drivers for storage, HDMI, radio docks etc. Easy to undersell this effort in hindsight. I also doubt that it was a profit motive. let’s not forget that Apple themselves helped design USB-C and pushed for it to be the standard. I guess they couldn't wait for it to be ready, and given the iPhone 5 came out in 2012 and the first commercially successful USB-C devices came in 2016 I guess they were right.

tgma 2y ago
Precisely. The irony is that almost all non-MacBook computer still come with at least one USB-A port to this day. If it weren't for Apple pushing USB-C only on the MacBook, that connector's universal adoption as the primary data/video interface wouldn't have been as widespread. They legitimized the connector by forcing it on MacBook users.
callc 2y ago
> I also doubt that it was a profit motive. One of the most profitable companies in the world trying to build more of a moat of incompatibilities with the rest of the non-apple world with no profit or ulterior motive? /s Once a for-profit company gets large enough doing anything other than “maximize profit up to the point of illegality” becomes a Herculean task. It’s a natural consequence of capitalism, greed, and large organizations. Good on EU for being a counter-balance force
DerekL 2y ago
* Lightning (no e)

by dijit 2y ago

tgma 2y ago

Precisely. The irony is that almost all non-MacBook computer still come with at least one USB-A port to this day. If it weren't for Apple pushing USB-C only on the MacBook, that connector's universal adoption as the primary data/video interface wouldn't have been as widespread. They legitimized the connector by forcing it on MacBook users.

callc 2y ago

> I also doubt that it was a profit motive. One of the most profitable companies in the world trying to build more of a moat of incompatibilities with the rest of the non-apple world with no profit or ulterior motive? /s Once a for-profit company gets large enough doing anything other than “maximize profit up to the point of illegality” becomes a Herculean task. It’s a natural consequence of capitalism, greed, and large organizations. Good on EU for being a counter-balance force

DerekL 2y ago

* Lightning (no e)