What the Heck Is Happening at Apple?

Re:What the Heck Is Happening at Apple? by dpark on Monday October 31, 2016 @12:27PM (#12838320)

I don't know. I bought a lightning cable for my office a week ago for maybe $6. A quick search on Amazon shows an equivalent USB-C cable is actually more if I want to buy from a company with a name I recognize.

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Re:What the Heck Is Happening at Apple? by ng12 on Monday October 31, 2016 @12:31PM (#12838370)

What are you talking about? Direct from Apple it's $20, on Amazon both will run you $5-$10. But that's not the point anyways -- I'm still using a micro-usb cable that I bought before Lightning was even released. I've had to spend $0 on proprietary nonsense.

Also, another point: I have a medical device and a Kindle which both charge via micro-USB, meaning I only had to bring one charger when I traveled. Huge benefit.

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Re:What the Heck Is Happening at Apple? by dpark on Monday October 31, 2016 @12:38PM (#12838436)

So don't buy direct from Apple. An AmazonBasics lightning cable is 6.50 right now. The cheapest brand I recognize for USB-C is Anker at 7. So no, USB-C is not meaningfully more expensive but neither are iPhone users getting ripped off unless they choose to.

Apple customers aren't getting "screwed" as you claimed.

If you're still using micro USB, I hate to break the news, but you will absolutely be buying some new cables in the future.

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Re:What the Heck Is Happening at Apple? by unprepare on Monday October 31, 2016 @01:10PM (#12838717)

one charger for many devices beats one charger per device. period.

Apple obviously knows this, as they just moved their macbook to USB-C.

now i can charge my android phone with the same cable as my macbook, android is more compatible with the new macbook than the iphone is; thats an embarrassment

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Re:What the Heck Is Happening at Apple? by dpark on Monday October 31, 2016 @01:21PM (#12838833)

> android is more compatible with the new macbook than the iphone is

This is a baseless claim. They happen to use the same connector. iOS has a number of far more meaningful integration points with OS X, including iCloud and Messages.

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Re:What the Heck Is Happening at Apple? by ricksplat on Tuesday November 01, 2016 @10:47AM (#12846054)

> iOS has a number of far more meaningful integration points with OS X, including iCloud and Messages.

both of which are atrocious.

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Re:What the Heck Is Happening at Apple? by ng12 on Monday October 31, 2016 @12:41PM (#12838464)

Right, and I'm unhappy about it whether I can get a good deal on Amazon or not. You asked why people liked USB so much, that is why.

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Re:What the Heck Is Happening at Apple? by dpark on Monday October 31, 2016 @01:17PM (#12838784)

This chunk of the thread was addressing your comment about how "Apple makes a killing selling adapters. It's the users who get screwed." You being unhappy about Apple using a proprietary connection doesn't mean the cables or adapters are actually pricy.

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Re:What the Heck Is Happening at Apple? by ng12 on Monday October 31, 2016 @02:02PM (#12839297)

I inherently have to carry around more cables/adapters/dongles, which cost money. That's why I'm unhappy. I'm paying more for less -- how is that not getting screwed?

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Re:What the Heck Is Happening at Apple? by dpark on Monday October 31, 2016 @02:10PM (#12839391)

Inherently? No. This depends entirely on what other devices you have. Carrying an iPad? Same connector. Carrying a laptop? Sure, that's a different connector, but that's currently the case for virtually every laptop no matter what kind of phone you're carrying.

In your case, you're carrying two other devices that use Micro-USB, which is great for you. Unfortunately you're likely to be facing a choice of replacing all of your devices or carrying two cables regardless the next time you upgrade your phone.

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Re:What the Heck Is Happening at Apple? by stouset on Monday October 31, 2016 @01:28PM (#12838918)

In two years, you're going to be swapping out your micro-USB cables while I'm using a lightning cable I bought before USB-C was even released. What's your point?

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[dead]

Re:What the Heck Is Happening at Apple? by sctb on Monday October 31, 2016 @03:23PM (#12840050)

Please don't comment like this here.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

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