They didn't see this as a problem when they introduced lightning and USB-C on their macBooks and high-end iPads, though. Instead you were supposed to buy more future electronic waste in form of dongles.

I think the iPad pro etc lives in a different category. They're all high end devices that are bought by people who either like tech, or use it for work. People who want the latest everything, and are happy to change things like cables to make it happen.

The iPhone at this point is just a phone. I suspect most people own them because their good tools for everyday life. Based on an observation of my parents, their friends, and parents of my partner, I would say that most of them don't give a rat-arse about the port on the bottom. They just want the phone to work with the cables they already have. For many of these people an iPhone and iPad Air will be the only computers they own.

I appreciate that my point is a little undermined by the new iPad Air, but I suspect that iPhone will go to wireless only charging, something the iPad can't do, and Apple don't want to go through two transitions in less than 5 years.

USB-C to USB-A dongles were and are cheap, and USB-C/TB on MacBooks enabled one-cable docking solutions for the first time on the MBP platform so people actually welcomed that.

>They didn't see this as a problem when they introduced lightning

Apple now ship more lightning cable in a single year than all the 30 Pin exist in the ecosystem combined. The scale is just different.

And this is not a problem for MacBooks and iPads. Nobody docks them in a cradle or to a car phone stand.

This concern does not translate well to anybody wanting to switch platforms. This level of sunk cost fallacy would not fly as an excuse for any other technology, let alone on HN.

I have never seen a lightning dock ever. Docks seemed to die after the 30 pin was discontinued. Every car I have seen now uses Bluetooth and has a usb A port for cables.

Most car docks I’ve seen had a swappable base plate to accommodate either lightning or USB C.

Now days of course, they’re all moving to wireless charging anyway.

My car has two wireless charge pads and it's honestly one of the best features.