7 ms·
Breakdown of Apple lightning port
- dmishe 14y agoStupid Apple, if only they have used micro-usb... Update: Ok, sorry, looks like sarcasm is not clear, so here.
- skyebook 14y agoThe article kind of nicely sums up why using USB wouldn't work, adaptation to other transport standards being the big point.
- bryanlarsen 14y agoThe article explains how micro-usb connectors can be used to connect to both HDMI and display-port. And obviously USB2 can be connected to USB3. All the article is saying is that Lightning could be used to transport USB3, even with only 8 wires. So the only advantages for lightning are that it's reversible, and it makes Apple scads of money.
- huxley 14y agoScads of money for you or me maybe, but --for Apple-- how could it even register as more than a rounding error on their revenue? I'll be interested to see if there are any advantages to Lightning once it is dissected or if it is just a lock-in play.
- taligent 14y agoDid you even bother to read the article ? The advantage of Lightning is that it is a REAL future proof connector. Completely generic and separate from any current standard. A connector that could still be in use 10-20+ years from now. And the fact you brought up the money argument just shows you have no idea what it is going on.
- bryanlarsen 14y agoYou mean the article that explains how microUSB has become compatible with new standards or the article that explains how Lightning could become compatible with new standards? It seems to me that having done something twice in the past is a better proof of being able to do that something than speculation is.
- flatline3 14y agomicroUSB hasn't become compatible with new standards, it has been hacked to allow the pinouts to be repurposed for new standards. The implication of this article is that the Lightening port can be repurposed, without changes to the device's hardware, simply by providing a new cable and software.
- bryanlarsen 14y agowithout changes to the device's hardware If the iPhone5 doesn't have internal USB3 or HDMI or DP support, it can't magically gain it through the use of a new cable and new software. It's probable the iPhone6 will support all or most of those, but that's because they changed the device's hardware...
- dmishe 14y agoWhy not? The new lighting cable with hdmi or dp chip that transcodes data from soc with new software
- vvhn 14y agoFrom the article "Common to both MHL and MyDP is the need for an additional transmitter (driver) chip as well as a switcher chip that goes back and forth between that and the USB transceivers. This, of course, implies additional space on the device board for these chips, traces and passive components, as well as increased power consumption. You can, of course, put in a micro-HDMI connector and drive that directly, that would save neither space nor power." That's not microUSB becoming compatible - It's having to add hardware inside the device which makes use of microUSB's pins. The Lightning connector seems to push that to outside of the device i.e. make the right cable/adapter and software and you can adapt to anything without requiring support from specific hardware inside the device. At least that is what he seems to saying and it'll probably take some more analysis and dissection (not to mention actual adapters) to support that assertion.
- deleted 14y ago[deleted]
- MrFoof 14y agoMicro-USB has one tremendously major disadvantage for battery-powered mobile devices: Maximum current. USB 2 has a maximum current of 1.5A while communicating and 5.0A when not. Micro-USB has a maximum current (per spec) of 1.0-1.8A, and the usual rating for most connectors is 1.0A. The result? By switching to Micro-USB, your iDevice will now take significantly longer to charge. (However, keep in mind the iPhone charge adapter is 1.0A, whereas the iPad adapters are 2.1A). So in exchange for a standardized connector, we would have devices that take twice as long to charge. Honestly, that's not a tradeoff 99% people would want to make.
- kens 14y agoThe new USB 3.0 power delivery spec supports 3A at 20V over micro-USB for potentially 60 Watts delivered via micro-USB and 100W over USB. The idea is to get rid of laptop charger plugs entirely and replace them with USB. A bunch of companies are on this standard, including Dell, Foxconn, HP, Intel, Microsoft, and Nokia. Apple is absent for some reason. This standard will also allow external hard drives, printers, etc to be powered over USB without a separate power plug. This will be an interesting change if the standard catches on. I wonder about the failure mode of 60 watts through micro-USB though - I expect dramatic smoke and flame :-) http://www.usb.org/press/USB_Power_Delivery_Spec_Completion_FINAL.pdf http://www.usb.org/press/USB_Power_Delivery_Spec_Completion_...
- bryanlarsen 14y agoThe original USB spec had a maximum current of 0.5A, which manufacturers like Apple quickly exceeded when it suited them. The spec was then adjusted to follow practice. The same can and will happen with the microUSB spec.
- djt 14y agoThis is quite amazing. Good thinking on Apples part and is a good bonus for them later down the track when others try and copy them
- deleted 14y ago[deleted]
- bryanlarsen 14y agoWhat's the good thinking on Apple's part? Being compatible with USB3 by copying the mechanism that MHL uses to connect microUSB connectors to HDMI and DP?
- taligent 14y agoIt's good thinking building a completely generic connector that doesn't adhere to only one standard. So that if <insert new standard> comes on the market Apple could support it without a change of connector. You couldn't do that with USB.
- bryanlarsen 14y agomicroUSB has already done that with HDMI and DisplayPort, there's no reason to suppose they couldn't do it with a hypothetical new standard.
- flatline3 14y agoNo, it hasn't. It requires different hardware in the device itself to output HDMI/DisplayPort to what "should" be standard USB pins.
- kbuck 14y agoApple's connector isn't going to automatically support any signaling they decide to add in the future either. It has to have the proper transceiver in the device as well. If they do decide to add new signaling formats, they'll end up with the issue of newer devices supporting them and older ones not supporting them, which will be rather confusing. The same problem currently exists with HDMI/DP signaling over MicroUSB, though. The bottom line is that they could have done this just the same with a USB port. In my opinion, all they really got out of designing their own connector was: a) something they can license, control, and collect royalties on; b) a connector that's slightly easier to use (the ability to plug the cable in either way, etc.).
- drivebyacct2 14y agoMaybe I was the only one in the dark, but if you've not seen it, this cable is damn cool (yes, I'm a geek). It's not "hollow" like USB cables, where the "male" plug is actually a "female" plug in the sense that there is a negative space in the usb connector that is filled when it's plugged in. With the Lightning port, it's just a male nub with the pins on both sides. Meaning you don't have to worry about orienting it correctly.
- ricardobeat 14y agoTangent: I know that that comment is more of a need for self-deprecation than an actual opinion, but the new brazilian standard plug is not a disaster at all. It's a clever, much safer design, based on an international standard. Every product made in the last half-dozen years fits it, and by now most commercial spaces and every new residence has them. Lately I'm having more trouble with sockets/extensions that aren't updated than the opposite...
- asdfs 14y agoI think the criticism he had of it was that it provides no way to know if the outlet is 240V or 120V. Otherwise it seems swell.
- malandrew 14y agoIt was a disaster. The safety concerns it addressed were a statistically insignificant source of danger, especially not one that warranted changing all the plugs across the entire country. I have no doubt in my mind that corruption was involved. I bet you a lot of lobbying money by plug makers went to converting the standard. There aren't many major manufacturers of those plugs and they all have a huge vested interest in seeing every single plug in the country get switched over. There was absolutely nothing wrong with using standard three prong plug that is standard in the US.
- soupysoupysoup 14y agoSo if I understand this correctly, this system uses a male connector as a power OUTput? Does that mean every charger must be intelligent enough to properly detect shorting if someone touches the lightning tip to a steel table? Is that when the lightning happens? What about the immense market for poorly made non-intelligent third party devices without proper safety circutry.. doesn't an exposed male power output open up a huge danger door?
- klodolph 14y agoScroll to the bottom of the article: > The pins on the plug are deactivated until after the plug is fully inserted, when a wake-up signal on one of the pins cues the chip inside the plug. This avoids any shorting hazard while the plug isn’t inside the connector. I'm guessing that there's a different mechanism for power plugs, since they have to work even if the device is dead. Yes, there's always a market for poorly made third-party devices, but poorly-made devices have always had the potential to be dangerous -- scroll back to the top, and you'll see a dangerous, poorly-made adapter that manages to be dangerous even though the power is always transmitted from female jack to male plug.
- soupysoupysoup 14y agoAnyone can create a poorly made adapter or a poorly made plug. My question is why would an industry leader put an elementary risk at the forefront of a new technology? The pins should be shielded. Third party garbage is inevitable, and too often very difficult to tell apart from authentic merchandise. In electrical current even in low amp situations idiot-proof should be the critical part of the design.
- klodolph 14y agoA power adapter which can't handle a short is dangerous, period. Handling a short should be a part of the design of the power supply. Break open a low-quality third-party power supply for the last generation of iPhone and you'll see some downright dangerous, possibly lethal stuff. These dangers aren't really even mitigated by putting a shield around the plug. http://www.arcfn.com/2012/03/inside-cheap-phone-charger-and-why-you.html http://www.arcfn.com/2012/03/inside-cheap-phone-charger-and-... And a picture of what it should look like: http://www.arcfn.com/2012/05/apple-iphone-charger-teardown-quality.html http://www.arcfn.com/2012/05/apple-iphone-charger-teardown-q... Notice that on the shoddy power supply, the isolation between mains voltages and the other side is about 1mm. Manufacturing tolerances and component faults could easily bridge that gap and electrify the entire low-voltage side with lethal 240V mains -- shield and all. Idiot-proofing low-voltage plug design doesn't help, because you've already lost if you let idiots design anything that plugs into the wall. Okay, shorting the plug might blow out your knockoff power supply and possibly start a fire, if the current limiting circuitry fails (which it shouldn't). But that knockoff was going to electrocute you anyway, at least if it lights on fire you still have the chance to run.
- arthurrr 14y agoAnybody happen to know if the lightning port, in theory at least, can support Thunderbolt? In the future, I'd really like to be able to plug in a nice A/D audio converter to the iPad and use it as a DAW. If it's not theoretically possible, then the lightning port really isn't future proof.
- delinka 14y agoI don't believe that's possible. Looking at my Thunderbolt cable and ports, I notice: 1) The cable is not reversible. It's a shaped barrel to fit one way. 2) The cable has many connection points (I think I count 10) above and below the inside of the barrel at the cable's end. 3) The inside of the cable is an innie and the inside of the port is a outie, opposites of Lightning (Lightning doesn't have this shaped barrel thing going on, the cable's just an outie with connections on both sides, so the port's just an innie.) And I also know from other reviews that Thunderbolt cables aren't just powered with electricity, but powerized (?!) with processors at each end. My fingers suspect this is true because the ends get damn hot.
- 3JPLW 14y agoThat's exactly the kind of thinking that the original article is arguing against! It doesn't matter what shape or size or gender or even the number of pins a connector has! The biggest restriction on getting Thunderbolt on an iOS device is not going to be the connector or cable. It will be the controller chips necessary to support such a fast protocol. And fast enough flash chips to provide the data quickly enough. Lightning can act as both a USB controller or peripheral. It can already provide or receive power. The active elements inside Thunderbolt won't be the limitation.
- ConstantineXVI 14y agoYou'd essentially have to pack a PCIe controller inside the iPad for it to work, so (for now) not without a few design concessions from Apple. And it's Intel's interface; good luck getting them to support it with ARM devices.
- smackfu 14y agoWould be interesting if Apple put Lightning ports on their MacBooks, and then sold Lightning to Lightning cables. Then there would be no restrictions from the protocol at the other end of the cable.
- ConstantineXVI 14y agoIt'd be hard to justify making space for an extra port on the MBA that's only useful for one specific device; and the gain over USB would appear minimal. Never mind that Apple is trying to sever the PC dependency in iOS, making a dedicated Lightning jack of even more questionable use.
- joejohnson 14y ago...if you get a cheap [HDMI] cable, you may find out that it doesn’t work well (or at all). This has been shown to be false over and over.