![]() The alternative explanation is that some consumers actually value the Lightning connection more. If so, forcing Apple to offer the better standard benefits all consumers. If this is true, Apple would have needed these add-ons to remain proprietary and make sure no competitor could start offering them for a lower price. One possibility is that consumers are inattentive when they buy a phone, and do not directly factor in the cost of accessories such as chargers. So, what’s so special about the Lightning connection that made Apple stick with it for so long, despite repeated promises to join its competitors on a common standard? Why would Apple sabotage one of its own phones by keeping a substandard charging connection? This means that USB-C is compatible with many more devices, including all recent Apple products, but not previously with the iPhone. Apple, on the other hand, does not allow anyone else to use its proprietary accessories, unless they agree on a license. Vytautas Kielaitis / ShutterstockĪll of the USB standards can be used by any business. There are several possible reasons why Apple held on to the Lightning connector as long as it did. This consortium is composed of companies such as Intel and Microsoft – and also Apple. It was developed by a consortium called the USB implementer forum. The main difference between the two, however, is that UBS-C is not proprietary. ![]() It also charges devices more swiftly, to the point that Apple started selling Lightning to USB-C adaptors. It can transfer data much more quickly: up to 40Gbps (gigabits per second) for USB-4 versus 480Mbps (megabits per second) for Lightning. USB-4 outperforms Lightning in every technical dimension conceivable. The cable and connector are part of a bigger technical specification called USB-4. ![]() USB-C is just the name of the connector, not the entire cable. However, one notable feature was that it borrowed the Lightning connector’s reversibility. There was nothing particularly novel or remarkable about it compared to Apple’s cable. The USB-C connector came out about two years after the Lightning. You’re probably also complaining about how inconvenient it is. If you are using the standard USB port on your laptop now, you are likely to spend a lot of time plugging the cable in and taking it out in order to find the right orientation. It might seem trivial now, but this was not the case with any other charger. This enabled the user to insert the charger into the dock without having to wonder whether it was oriented in the right way. Arguably, the key visible innovation of the Lightning cable was reversible ends. It was the successor to the 30-pin dock connector introduced in 2003 for the first iPods and iPhones. The Lightning charger was introduced by Apple in 2012 and first featured on the iPhone 5. The common charger for all devices is thus becoming a reality, at least until the world moves completely to wireless charging. Instead, it chose to comply and follow the EU rules everywhere. In October last year, the European Commission requested all phones and laptop producers switch to the USB-C connector (which had earlier been agreed on as a common standard).Īpple could have chosen to ignore the request and stop selling in the EU, or to produce versions with USB-C for the European single market only. The last device to swap is the iPhone, and it happened against Apple’s will. ![]() After many years of designing and selling a variety of different cables to power and charge its devices, Apple has slowly switched to USB-C chargers for all of its products. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |