Apple forced to ditch iPhone lightning charger::Apple confirms new iPhone 15 will have a common USB-C charging port after EU forces it into the change.
You must log in or register to comment.
Regulations work. Suck it, predatory businesses. Literally, eat shit.
I’m pretty convinced their plan was to release a USB-C iPhone this year either way.
Their product roadmaps extend far out into the future; these products require a lot of lead time to develop and integrate. They had until the end of 2024 to comply, which means one more release. They started their journey to USB-C several years ago, so it’s not like it wasn’t part of the plan, and they had no reason to hurry up and force it out this year, risking integration issues.
The EU is going to take the credit, but I think the chance for a coincidence here is strong.
They first started using USB c on the macbooks in 2015. There’s no way that it took 8 years to get it ready for the iPhone. In that time they’ve also released several other devices and accessories which have used lightning.
To me this doesn’t point to a planned gradual shift over to USB c but one that was forced by neccesity on the macbook then by regulation on the iPhone.
Why would the 2015 MacBook’s USB-C ports been forced by necessity?
Also remember the outrage when Apple moved form the 30-pin connector to Lightning. People were very upset and Apple promised they wouldn’t be switching ports all the time and it was made to serve them for a really long time… as every accessory with a lightning port just became e-waste. I guess Mother Nature didn’t see that.
as every accessory with a lightning port just became e-waste. I guess Mother Nature didn’t see that.
I think it’s interesting that you see this as USB-C’s fault.
If Apple had stuck to a standard connector they would have been on usb-c in a year or two anyway and none of that e-waste would exist.
Or if they went back on their word and switched to usb-c from lightning after a couple years, there would also be way less Lightning e-waste. What do you think happens to all those Lightning accessories when someone switches from iPhone to a different device?
Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector is responsible for the e-waste, not USB-C or regulators.
These regulations will stop companies like Apple making proprietary connectors purely for profit that generate all the e-waste in the first place.
Lol, a cable is barely e waste. The power Adapter is where the e waste is, and those usb A blocks can easily still be used, even if you only have usb-C cables lying around. For very little money, you can buy an Adapter from usb-A to C and you can still use them. I don’t get the eWaste argument on copper cables…
The narrative around Lightning was always that they’d keep it for 10 years and then move to something new, Schiller even called it “a modern connector for the next decade” when it was announced, and at the time it was better than anything else on the market.
No one who’s been paying attention is surprised that Apple switched this year and not next. I’d love to go dig up my years old comments on Reddit about this but like many of us I deleted my whole history. I had hoped they’d advance the timeline and release the 14 with USBC because of the EU regs, but I’m convinced this was the plan because they waited for the lighting to fulfill its 10 year target (just like with the 30 pin connector) and not until the EU regs actually forced them in 2024.
When the iPad switched to USBC in 2018 it was a foregone conclusion that iPhone would too, and the assumption was always for it to happen in 2023.
Oh man you have not followed all of this progress have you? the EU has been pushing for this for a long time now, if this was their planall along Apple could have stated that they planned to do this in the future but that they were waiting for closure of their original connector, but they didn’t, all their communications until this decission was made have been that lightning was not going away. Suddenly, it was their plan all along. It’s… so much like apple to do this and so in line for their fans to eat it up.
They aren’t exactly known for sharing their plans publicly. They do stuff like that all the time to avoid leaking plans of their internal roadmap.
itr’s not about sharing their plans publicly, it’s about their intent being 180 of what they say now. When this was being worked on in the EU, Apple was pretty clearly against it. If their plan was to do it anyway them opposing the forced change would make no sense.
Eh, I don’t know Apple’s intentions but this specific design change isn’t that complicated. The lightning port still uses the USB protocol so the firmware will be the same or very similar. The supporting electronics also wouldn’t change much, but at most they’d omit/add a few small passives and slightly reroute that part of the circuit to make things fit together. They’d also have to lock down a large production run of USB ports, but any manufacturer would accommodate a customer as large as Apple. They’d need to test fit it with the new phone chassis but that’s relatively simple as well. Regulatory certification would also be smooth sailing for a change this simple, since most of what’s changing is simply the form factor.
I figure it would take two years before customers would see this design change from the moment engineering was assigned it.
I’m an electrical engineer who works in production if that matters.
I can corroborate this. They weren’t unprepared, but this wasn’t late warning.
Law was approved in 2022.
You say it would take about 2 years and the EU gave companies 24 months, which is all in line…. But it’s only been about 12 months since the directive was approved. Do you think Apple could pivot to get it done in a year if they weren’t already planning it, especially when there was no legal reason to rush it?
I doubt Apple just learned of the pending EU rule 12 months ago as it was passed.
The alternative is to take a gamble that it won’t be approved and then be stuck with phones that weren’t in compliance (ignoring the 24 month grace period) and having the development clock start immediately for future models. I’m sure they saw which way the winds were blowing, knew they had no populist counter argument opposing the change, and decided it was in their best interest to join literally every other manufacturer on the planet in using a standard port.
It’s really hard to say without being personally involved. Two years is a very comfortable amount of time to implement that specific change. The biggest hurdle is passing regulatory testing early enough to begin manufacturing in time to build a large enough stockpile before release. If they really pushed it and threw enough people at it, manufacturing could begin as little as 6 months after starting. But that’s a very risky timeline because about a million things will still go wrong all throughout the process, and “simple” design changes like this are never, ever simple.
I’m impressed if they began production one year after deciding to make the change. The EU directive might’ve been approved roughly a year ago, but Apple might’ve seen writing on the wall and started earlier too. Regardless of context, this is definitely not a >2-3 year process though.
I wasn’t saying they’d take 3 years, but that they would at least use the 2 years to avoid the risk of a rush job. The iPhone is their most important product and I don’t see them putting it at risk to rush something out when there was no requirement to rush.
Maybe they started early, or worked on both in parallel, if they saw the writing on the wall and wanted a hedge. But typically, or maybe I should say historically, Apple hasn’t been one to do something just because someone tells them to, and if forced they would maintain their own vision as long as possible until they had to make the change. I remember years ago reading that they paid a daily fine in their stores for not displaying ‘no smoking’ signs, because they didn’t like how they looked. I want to say this was in England, but it was a long time ago and I couldn’t quickly find an article on it.
You know how many fucking lawyers they have? They were well-prepared.
What does that have to do with anything?
Could they?
Yeah probably. USB-C connectors are ubiquitous, I’m certain they could acquire the necessary components in short notice if they had to. From my understanding they essentially did just swap the connector and kept the same USB2.0 controller.
Did they?
I doubt it, they had plenty of notice this was coming and were likely already preparing for it.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the second USB-C iPhone release gets a modern controller with USB 3.2 or even 4, and Apple talks it up like they have single-handedly made USB-C fast all by theirselves (and imply that other mobile devices haven’t had the same for far longer)
Give over. They were passive aggressive as fuck in their statements after the EU mandated it.
I would’ve been too. The EU flexes too hard on some of this stuff. It was obviously on Apple’s roadmap.
I guess if a new/better connector comes along we have to wait for the EU to give everyone permission to move the technology forward? How does this even work going forward?
I like the idea of 1 port for everything, but a regional government effectively mandating what the whole world must use is fucked.
I guess if a new/better connector comes along we have to wait for the EU to give everyone permission to move the technology forward?
The EU is mandating open standards, not specific open standards.
If a new and better connector comes around they are welcome/encouraged to use it. As long as it’s an open standard and not proprietary e-waste generating junk
I don’t know any reason why switching to USB-C would’ve been on Apple’s roadmap. Controlling the lighting ecosystem is far too valuable for them. Apple’s refusal to switch to the common USB-C is one of the reasons this law exists in it’s current form.
Theyre not stupid if you read it before writing about it on Lemmy you’d see they’re required to review regularly with stakeholders to agree and amend requirements ‘in line with scientific and technological progress, consumer convenience and environmental developments’
Oh good, bureaucracy… that always produces great results.
Apple would have implemented USB-C ages ago if they had any intention of ever doing it willingly.
Everything they make uses USB-C except the iphone which uses lightning and funnily enough they get a substantial cut out of every accessory and cable sale.
The EU has a FAQ somewhere addressing this, can’t find it though.
And calling the EU a regional government is underplaying their power and international influence a LOT.
Are people astroturfing here? Seriously? It may be one of the worst place for that, and it looks like a very bad troll.
Huh?
This law is more than a decade in the making, the only reason it was on Apples roadmap is because of this law.
The EU doesn’t have to mandate a new connector when something new comes up, it just has to be an open standard, ANY open standard. This is miles better for everyone. And the EU doesn’t force the whole world to adapt their standard, it’s just not economical to produce different versions for different markets, but they are very much allowed to sell whatever to their non EU customers.
If you really want the lightning adapter back, you can ask one of the many people who soldered a usb-c connector in an iphone 12/13/14. If one person can do it, I’m pretty sure Apple can, too.
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
https://piped.video/1yudWXta6dM?si=Ly7bKl8lahT8Z2NM
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I’m open-source, check me out at GitHub.
If they were going to switch anyway, they wouldn’t have struggled until the EU had to make regulations around it.
Regulations means the market can’t regulate itself. The market in this case being Apple.
What struggle?
They had until the beginning of 2024, that is by 2024 USB C had to be the standard, leaving Apple no choice with Iphones introduced in 2023’s fall.
EU sets December 28th, 2024, deadline for all new phones to use USB-C for wired charging
USB-type C to become EU’s common charger by end of 2024
Either they changed the date or you’re wrong on this.
You’re right. I stand corrected.
Thank fuck, the lightning charger is hot dogshit, IMO. Th lack of compatibility of iphone is annoying, particularly around how 3rd party charging cords won’t work with their products sometimes.
I had an iphone for over a decade, and finally switched to android. It suits me better. I spend a lot less time thinking ‘i should be able to do this’ and looking for a workaround
Base model 15 will still only have usb 2.0 speeds.
Reminder:
usb 2 is a 2001 standardok now im really curious, what are you plugging into your CELL PHONE that requires 10 gigabit?
I had this question as well. I don’t think I’ve physically plugged my iPhone 11 in for data/photo/video syncing since I got it. Everything is super fast over wifi, there’s no reason for a cord. Only thing I use the port for is charging and sometimes audio. I’d probably have been fine if they dropped the port, but I’m happy they kept it for now.
Hey I’m with you, don’t really need faster wired data speeds.
But I guess Apple has changed their goals if they are leaving out common functionality available in all other flagship devices simply because it’s not strictly necessary 🤷
It’s because apple hasn’t released usb3.0 specs as a new invention yet.
The Pro version does have it.
Everything to push people into buying even more expensive shit, right?
The base 15 has the processor from the 14 pro, which does not have the USB 3.0 controller on it.
Just like the base 14 had the processor from the 13 pro …and the base 13 had the processor from the 12 pro
you get the idea.
Yeah the lightning charger in my experience immediately breaks when I put it in any position it just doesn’t like.
Edit: should clarify I use an Android now
You’ll feel right at home with usb-c then. I use both every day and, honestly, they both suck.
But with Usb-c you get Power Delivery which kicks the shit out of old 5v 2a nonsense
I find usb-c generally better. faster charging, as you’ve pointed out. I find the connections usually a lot more secure too. I have one cord in my car for android auto that’s a finicky little bitch, though, and I’m about to yeet that thing, if I ever remember to replace it. All of my other cords have held up well, and it’s really nice to have the ability to charge all of my devices with one cord.
Just curious why you think USB C sucks? I think it’s gotten to a mature point now with PD 3.0 or 3.1. I have 1 cable next to my bed that will charge my phone, headphones, laptop, tablet etc. No worrying at all.
Part of the issue is exactly what you just mentioned: There are a lot of different standards with varying degrees of compatibility, and none of them are visibly different from one another. There isn’t a good way to immediately identify which cables are “good” and which will just outright refuse to charge your devices. So some of my USB-C cables will charge low power devices, but not bigger things like a laptop or iPad.
Meanwhile, the lightning charger was really really good at enforcing uniformity across different cables. Because you knew you could plug any lighting cable into any lightning port, and it would charge just fine. Yes, this inevitably caused issues with speed as tech progressed and Apple refused to upgrade to new standards. But that refusal also helped them maintain uniformity. Apple also shifted away from hardline data transfers years ago; 99.9% of iPhone users will have iCloud backups happen automatically via wifi, and iCloud means you’re not doing full phone backups every time. You only do the initial backup, then it simply pushes daily changes as you go whenever you connect to wifi. So the actual amount of data that gets transferred is relatively low with day-to-day usage, and it doesn’t eat into your limited call phone data plan. The regular user rarely (if ever) needs to transfer anything via the lightning port, because wireless sync takes care of things as long as they’re on wifi.
The rapid development of USB-C has been great for the tech. But it also means that (as someone who has an iPhone and has very little need for USB-C cables) I’ve bought more USB-C cables in the past two or three years than I have lightning cables. Because my five year old lightning cables are still working fine, while all of my USB-C cables from before the pandemic had to be replaced; Not because they were broken, but simply because newer devices would refuse to charge with them.
Yeah I get that there are some teething issues but for an iphone geezer now it should be pretty ubiquitous. USB C to USB C cables will do 60w. Then if they have the special chip they can do 100W + (5A).
It’s even less of an issue for an iphone 15 that will likely top out at 25w.
A gorilla wrote this post
I always feel like usbc could just flip out at any moment. I like the lightning connector better in that regard at least. Usbc just seems looser.
Use a product with less shit USB-C ports then?
Literally never had a C port that wasn’t as tight as a classic USB
Nowhere near the loosening issues micro and mini had in their times
In that reasoning they made confuses me.
I’ve also never had a usb-c just fallout/ feel non-secure. You’d think with the increased surface area with the usb-c ring fitting between the port wall and the center peg of the port would increases gripyness logically. Vs The single peg insert of a lightning cable.
But eh, im no physics doctor.
Lightning has the divots in the sides of the cable and then two idk spring loaded bits that press in there on the phone side. It’s insanely secure, one could argue possibly too much, but I can hang my phone from the cord and it won’t fall out.
Now that’s not to say USB-C is bad like it falls out or anything, just that it takes more force to disconnect a lightning cable than USB-C.
Ah yes the clips! I stand corrected haha.
I haven’t owned an Apple product since the ipod nano, so the only lightning cables im used too, are user owned devices, which are normally chewed up without the little side clips functioning.
Ty, for the reminder!
But with Usb-c you get Power Delivery
iPhones have supported the PD spec since 2017 (iPhone 8 and iPhone X), assuming the cable supports it (requiring USB-C to Lightning). Their big mistake was not shipping a PD-compatible charger and cable in the box, so very few users actually got one.
You can charge faster than 10W using Lightning to USB-C
I’ve only ever had one lightning charger break. Been using iPhones for a decade.
…I do electrical tape and heat shrink the ends, though. So they probably helps a little.
Good job EU, screw you Apple
I find it odd that this is the only noteworthy feature in the new phone.
pretty much all smartphones past few years have been incremental upgrades. Sometimes theres some gimmick but it really feels like we’ve reached a peak
The Fold/Flip were pretty big jumps in tech.
Idk why you’re being downvoted, its true. Folding screen technology has been pretty much the only major innovation in the phone space for a while now.
Folding is high on the “neato” scale but isn’t considered a major milestone because it’s really sort of a gimmick and in smartphone terms, is a small niche feature. Most people don’t want a thicker phone that can become a too-small tablet by slowly forming a damage crease down its screen.
I remember when people thought a front facing camera was niche.
You can say that about literally every feature. But folding has been around 5 years and isn’t becoming integral to every device. Front facing cameras were within 5 years.
Disagree, the technology is improving and the shapes of the phone are becoming more usable.
Anecdotally, i know a good amount of people who switched/want to switch off iphone to android specifically for folding phones. The form factor of the zflip/razr is a lot more usable for people who have small pockets or people who just think it’s plain cool.
The “damage crease” isnt a huge deal, and most people upgrade after 3ish years anyway so as long as it can make it that far it won’t matter to them.
and it was 5 years ago at least.
I’m excited about the Thread Network Protocol in the Pro version. I have no idea what will be implemented yet and Matter/Theead are rolling out way too slowly but it will be interesting to find out
NOOOOOOO! This goes against their narrative that they chose to do it! How dare you!
The only thing Apple chose themselves was placing an artificial limit on the port.
Honestly, Apple still are being assholes assholes and - either via firmware or software - are limiting transfer speeds of the standard non-Pro iPhone 15’s USB-C connector down from 10gb/s to 480mb/s (Lightning cable speeds) (scroll down to the “Charging and Expansion” section to see for yourselves).
The EU should hit them with a fine or ban EU sales of the 15 non-Pro model for skirting the law.
Are you sure it’s firmware or software limited?
I assumed they just kept the lightning controller, which as you said had USB 2.0 speeds, and then hardwired a USB-C adapter into the phone/circuit board. So it’s a hardware limit.
The non-pro iphone 15 uses a different processor (A16 vs A17) which doesn’t have the controller for 10gbps speeds. Its the processor from the iphone 14 pro.
The 15 uses an older chip that was designed for iPhones with lighting cables limited to USB 2. So it’s unlikely the hardware is there for USB 3/4 speeds. But it’s not unfeasible to add a dedicated chip for faster USB speeds.
Where as the pro model uses a new chipset. Designed for the 15 pro and likely the 16 non-pro. This has on due USB 3. It would be short sighted to not include it here.
Both phones would have very fast WiFi, I imagine that’s the use case for 90%+ of users.
That’s disgusting. Knowing for some that would be a dealbreaker to upgrade to the pro.
Honestly I can’t imagine anyone that would care enough about hardwire transfer speeds more than raw performance. Imo, anyone that cares about those raw transfer speeds will already want the A17 Pro and wouldn’t settle for the A16 Bionic.
I think there’s high speed and standard speed. I’d understand more if the pro was thunderbolt and the non pro was usb 3. Going usb2 is way below standard speed in this day and age.
And thus they get extra money for the sale of the more expensive one. That’s the plan for why the cheaper model exists anyway
Nah, let Apple cripple their own products out of spite…
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Apple has confirmed its new iPhone will not feature its proprietary lightning charging port, after the EU forced it into the change.
The tech giant said that the iPhone 15, unveiled at its annual event on Wednesday, would use a USB-C cable as the “universally accepted standard”.
The EU had told the tech giant to ditch its proprietary charging ports to make life easier for consumers, save them money, and help reduce e-waste by encouraging re-use of chargers.
But some experts questioned whether consumers would be prepared to pay the high price tags given the devices are not hugely different to their predecessors.
“Convincing users to fork out for these new devices will not be easy during a cost-of-living crisis,” said Paolo Pescatore, analyst and founder of PP Foresight.
“Some will see the new features as incremental, [although] collectively they enhance the overall experience which is priceless among Apple’s core user base.”
The original article contains 457 words, the summary contains 152 words. Saved 67%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
Good bot
No one will ever miss you
Literally the only ‘new’ thing with the 15
But, but… it’s .3% faster!!!1!!
Now, I’m waiting how they will use marketing and communication on ditching the magsafe and going back to only USB-C.
Magsafe it’s pretty cool tho. Plus they open sourced it so next Qi standard is probably gonna have it. I don’t know what I’m talking about btw.
We are not speaking about the same magsafe. EU requires in the near future USB-C for laptops too. Apple must include USB-C by default and ditching the magsafe.
Are they going to ditch it though? As I understand, they don’t need to ditch it as long as USB-C charging remains an option.
For charging alone, Magsafe is objectively the better choice because it snaps in and out of place, so it’s both easier to insert and won’t pull your laptop off the living room table if your kid or dog runs into the cable. For docking in your dedicated workspace, you’ll still use USB-C attached to your monitor of course, it’s excellent for that and Magsafe doesn’t do data.
Yeah, I think it says that you have to support USB-C charging. But you can add whatever else you want. And if I remember correctly, macbooks can be charged via C and magsafe already. So all up to snuff
Yup, both work!
The regulation is the same as for smartphones. In the EU, laptops must charge with USB-C by default. Apple can still include on the laptop a magsafe port which will be useless for the consumer in this area. The easiest to comply for Apple is to put a USB-C to USB-C cable instead of the USB-C to magsafe for Europe.
My laptop can already charge over USB-C from my docking station, or with a MagSafe cable. It’s an older M1 laptop but that ought to cover any such requirement
It’s the single charger regulation. In the EU, Apple must use USB-C instead of magsafe for the laptops. It’s the same as for smartphones.
No. Magsafe and usb c can both be present.
They’re just going to try to make one that’s ever so slightly better, and then patent it again
It’s cold in here.
Has hell frozen over?!?
Apple lightning cable it means. The charger still works fine
deleted by creator
In apple’s defense, lightning pre-dates USB-C by a few years. There are a ton of lightning accessories in the wild that have been made useless e-waste by this forced change. I’m glad we’re all on an agreed-upon standard, though. It had to happen at some point.
Before lightning and USB-C every manufacturer had their own connector. Then the EU told the manufacturers toneither come up with a common connector or they would regulate. Then, Apple started with lighting and other manufacturers joined under micro USB B. The EU was still not happy because Apple went their own way and, after USB C came out and was good (micro USB was quite bad TBF) they forced everyone to use USB C
They knew USB C was coming, they still didn’t give a fuck.
They were the first/earliest to release a consumer a consumer device with USB C. They were also part of the consortium that developed USB C.
I think they were scared of the backlash they got the first time they switched from the iPod connector the lighting cable. This made them promise not to change the connector for 10 years.
If they changed earlier they would have broken their promise.
Apple should have had the foresight to see USB C was on the way. It was released two years after lighting.
It’s possible apple was convinced the connector should work either way unlike USB micro. But the USB consortium preferred a simpler design that was not reversible. Releasing the lighting connector forced the USB consortium to accept a reversible connector.
