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Specifications are there for a reason... Why use Bluetooth at all if they don't actually use it properly?

by indentit 11mo ago

helsinkiandrew 11mo ago
You can still connect AirPods to an android device using Bluetooth, you just don’t get the seamless connection or support for Spatial Audio that use the extended protocols
- gf000 11mo ago
  You can't even change noise cancel's mode.
  - gf000 11mo ago
    It's just on and off, and doesn't let you choose between the different ones (transparency, conversation aware, etc)
Aurornis 11mo ago
> Why use Bluetooth at all if they don't actually use it properly? Because they needed a way to get audio to the AirPods wirelessly and to work with their devices? That’s a pretty good reason to use Bluetooth. I doubt they got together and tried to scheme a way to break Bluetooth in this one tiny little way for vendor lock in. You can use the basic AirPod features with other Bluetooth devices. It’s just these extended features that were never developed for other platforms. HN comments lean heavily conspiratorial but I think the obvious explanation is that the devs built and tested it against iPhone and Mac targets and optimized for that. This minor discrepancy wasn’t worked around because it isn’t triggered on Apple platforms and it’s not a target for them.
- dabinat 11mo ago
  It reminds me of the USB keyboard extender that came with old Macs. There’s a little notch in the socket so you can only use it with Apple keyboards. At the time I thought it was a petty way of preventing you from using it with any other device, but apparently the reason they didn’t want you to use it with other devices is because the cable didn’t comply with the USB spec. Some pictures here: https://www.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/b1u08k/this_apple_usb_extender_has_a_bump_so_only_apple/ https://www.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/b1u08k/this_...
  - raw_anon_1111 11mo ago
    Did you even bother about reading the comments on your own citation?
    - dabinat 11mo ago
      Yes, I did actually. I genuinely don’t know what you’re referring to?
  - dwaite 11mo ago
    Yes, USB extenders are not spec-legal (because the device isn't built expecting to be extended). But you can have an extension cord which accepts USB on one end but doesn't accept USB on the other. So the keyboard has a superset connector so that it can go in regular USB and notched USB, because it is verified to work right when using the extension cord. This design also means you can't plug one extension cord into another to get an even longer distance (which the keyboard wouldn't expect). Pretty clever solution.
- pbhjpbhj 11mo ago
  >doubt they got together and tried to scheme a way to break Bluetooth in this one tiny little way for vendor lock in. No conspiracy needed, surely it would be unilateral? It seems exactly the sort of thing Apple Computers would do to protect their ecosystem.
binkHN 11mo ago
This is Microsoft's playbook from many years ago: embrace, extend, extinguish.
fouc 11mo ago
Perhaps Apple correctly implemented the specification here

Specifications are there for a reason... Why use Bluetooth at all if they don't actually use it properly?

You can still connect AirPods to an android device using Bluetooth, you just don’t get the seamless connection or support for Spatial Audio that use the extended protocols

gf000 11mo ago
You can't even change noise cancel's mode.
- gf000 11mo ago
  It's just on and off, and doesn't let you choose between the different ones (transparency, conversation aware, etc)

Aurornis 11mo ago

> Why use Bluetooth at all if they don't actually use it properly? Because they needed a way to get audio to the AirPods wirelessly and to work with their devices? That’s a pretty good reason to use Bluetooth. I doubt they got together and tried to scheme a way to break Bluetooth in this one tiny little way for vendor lock in. You can use the basic AirPod features with other Bluetooth devices. It’s just these extended features that were never developed for other platforms. HN comments lean heavily conspiratorial but I think the obvious explanation is that the devs built and tested it against iPhone and Mac targets and optimized for that. This minor discrepancy wasn’t worked around because it isn’t triggered on Apple platforms and it’s not a target for them.

dabinat 11mo ago
It reminds me of the USB keyboard extender that came with old Macs. There’s a little notch in the socket so you can only use it with Apple keyboards. At the time I thought it was a petty way of preventing you from using it with any other device, but apparently the reason they didn’t want you to use it with other devices is because the cable didn’t comply with the USB spec. Some pictures here: https://www.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/b1u08k/this_apple_usb_extender_has_a_bump_so_only_apple/ https://www.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/b1u08k/this_...
- raw_anon_1111 11mo ago
  Did you even bother about reading the comments on your own citation?
  - dabinat 11mo ago
    Yes, I did actually. I genuinely don’t know what you’re referring to?
- dwaite 11mo ago
  Yes, USB extenders are not spec-legal (because the device isn't built expecting to be extended). But you can have an extension cord which accepts USB on one end but doesn't accept USB on the other. So the keyboard has a superset connector so that it can go in regular USB and notched USB, because it is verified to work right when using the extension cord. This design also means you can't plug one extension cord into another to get an even longer distance (which the keyboard wouldn't expect). Pretty clever solution.
pbhjpbhj 11mo ago
>doubt they got together and tried to scheme a way to break Bluetooth in this one tiny little way for vendor lock in. No conspiracy needed, surely it would be unilateral? It seems exactly the sort of thing Apple Computers would do to protect their ecosystem.

binkHN 11mo ago

This is Microsoft's playbook from many years ago: embrace, extend, extinguish.

fouc 11mo ago

Perhaps Apple correctly implemented the specification here