This means that for USB-C you replace the cable when the springs wear out, but for Lightning you need to replace the port.
Cleaning lint out of a USB-C receptacle with a toothpick is safe, but sticking anything into a Lightning port could damage the springs.
Which means if you break it off, you need to replace the whole port, which might be difficult or expensive; instead of the (relatively) cheap cable.
I _love_ USB-C as a concept, but this alone makes, in my opinion, Lightning the superior physical connector.
And yes, I have had to replace / throw away entire devices because of a USB-C port breaking like this.
Sure, I should be less of a clumsy oaf around my electronics, but I also don't think "not bricking the entire device when extra force is applied to the port" is unreasonable design goal for a physical connector as universal as USB-C is.
You say that cleaning out a USB-C port is safe, but I know it’s not, because of that little snap-off wafer inside, which has broken on me twice before. It’s not safe, I promise. Don’t do it unless you have a good warranty!
Just because I've not had the center nub break in any of my USB-C devices that doesn't mean it's not a problem for someone else.
Similarly, I've had the springs in a Lightning port give out so that no cable worked and the port needed replacing.
I still think that having the springs in the cable connector is a more durable design but the USB-C center nub is probably too thin.
(edit) Here is the chief FireWire architect talking about the same design rationale for the FW400 connector http://www.johasteener.com/what-is-firewire.html#Why_the_4-p...
Safe-ish because you can break off the inner plastic part. On USB-A this was a pretty common failure for me. On USB-C not yet
In my experience, cleaning the lightning port with the end of a paperclip was never an issue (dust from my pocket liked the spot; always helped when charging got unreliable).
The only shame here is that companies consistently chose lock-in over open standards, even when it's clearly detrimental to the user's experience and the environment.
If the "adults in the room" can't figure it out (out of greed), it's fair game for governments to step in and make a choice for everybody. That's what a government should do: create clarity and accountability where there is none.
This idea that we need dedicated connectors for every little piece of hardware we own is simply not sustainable.
This is entirely subjective. Personally, I’ve never been bothered by the different port type. I’ve also never really known it to be a problem for friends and family.
That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t prefer USB-C for the iPhone. Just that for me it’s not been “clearly detrimental.”
What's positive about having to buy different cables, chargers and converters every year for your phones, cameras, laptops and whatnot? Maybe you're just used to it, but if you truly think about what it means and the implications of doing this at-scale, I seriously doubt there's any benefit to it.
I don’t think it’s some great positive, but I also don’t think it is “clearly detrimental” to the user experience, either.
> Case closed, apologist anecdata will not be considered.
Not sure this is your call to make?
Let me break it down for you, case-by-case:
> Apple has the opportunity to standardize all of their devices under one serial/power connector
This is objectively true. Apple helped design the USB-C standard to replace the ports on their own devices, and demonstrated this intent on the Macbook and later, the iPad.
> they have neglected to do this for over a decade
This is also true. While USB-C isn't a decade old, USB 3.0 is, and Apple has refused to update Lightning cables to reflect the newer standards in serial transfer technology.
> it overtly effects the user experience.
This is, undeniably and objectively, true. USB 2.0 is extremely slow - to the point that most users resort to slow wireless transfers to avoid an even slower wired one. Apple can fix this. They don't even need to get rid of USB-C to do this, but by switching to USB-C they will no longer have a choice. They had their opportunity to play fair, now they have to play by the rules instead. I'm closing the case because the EU has done so as well. Apple is negligent here, regardless of how Apple, their customers or other bystanders feel.
While Lightning may be a good piece of technology, I think Apple is largely to blame for its demise. Standardization is good for consumers. Apple had control over its fate. I don’t blame them for wanting to collect royalties, but they were the only major manufacturer on the market not playing ball with a standardized port. Yet even their other products use USB-C, and the MacBook was actually an early adopter.
Accordingly, I don’t think this law eliminates competition. It brings simplification to consumers for a simple, boring port that can now be shared with many of their other goods and a single cable.
I genuinely believe that there’s only one real reason Apple resisted moving away from Lightning:
They saw the writing on the wall from the EU over the last few years, and - remembering the way people lost their minds over the switch from 40-pin to Lightning (“it’s a money grab! they want me to replace all of my accessories!”) - chose to wait so they’d have someone to deflect blame to.
Licensing revenue from Lightning MFi is a drop in the bucket. I’m not a manufacturing operations expert, but I have to imagine that the simplification of supply chains alone will nearly offset that loss over time.
Why? Your computers and one of your tablets already have USB-C chargers, so you could just use those for your phones. Further, USB-A to USB-C cables exist, so you could reuse your existing USB-A bricks, too.
I don't see USB-A going anywhere in the next decade or so, especially now that they're popping up in wall outlets and power strips alongside traditional wall plugs (at least here in the US; YMMV elsewhere). Hell, I was at a casino last weekend and pretty much every slot machine has a USB-A port specifically for charging phones (unfortunately, the casino's gift shop was sold out of USB-C and Lightning, but had lots of micro-B on hand - go figure lol).
Probably for longer than USB-A male connectors exist, knowing how fast things usually evolve in said industries :)
This is unnecessarily snide.
Lightning ports have springs that wear out inside. They have issues with arcing, which damages the plug (look at a charging cable that has been in use for a bunch of cycles. One pin on each side will be burnt.).
But hey, the plug part is pretty, so it must be better
Never before have I dealt with such a poor connector. All my usb c is working fine. All my lightning cables work about half the time, need to be jostled. I know if I buy all new ones AGAIN it will sort out the problem.
I don’t understand this take and replies.
Also, lightning doesn’t power external devices. Love that I can run a midi keyboard off my new iPad. The same on my iPhone requires a powered usb hub.
I mean, it's stupid that if I buy an Iphone and an Macbook today, there is no cable in either box that can connect those two
This really works for you? When I try charging my laptop with my phone cable/charger, it not only doesn't charge, but the laptop requires a hard reset to start turn on again. When I try charging my phone with my laptop cable/charger, it just doesn't charge. So while it's great in theory that everything is USB-C, it doesn't solve that much for me...
Unfortunately, I still need to bring a 6" microUSB cable as well, because my Logitech mouse, bicycle headlamp, and pocket flashlight (that uses 14500 lithium batteries) still don't have USB-C ports. I plan on upgrading all of them to USB-C when I can, but these rarely need to be charged so it's not as big a deal for me.
- http://www.righto.com/2013/06/teardown-and-exploration-of-ma...
- http://www.righto.com/2016/03/counterfeit-macbook-charger-te...
When I bought it i did the research and random magnetic cables on amazon were reviewed along the lines of "this burned my laptop". I ended up getting an (expensive-ish) one from my local apple dealer.
I'd rather have Apple do it thank you.
That first link describing how magsafe 1/2 work is what convinced me it should be fine :)
And also the part where there are a billion specs for the same cable so you never know what you're dealing with. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the bluetooth team came up with the standards...
Both Micro-B and USB-C are similarly rated for robustness.
Micro-USB and USB-C both have the same minimum durability ratings, you may just be buying non-compliant cables (or you're encountering selection bias or something):
Micro-USB is an abomination from a durability perspective, and in no way does this reflect reality for the majority of Micro-USB plugs and sockets I've found in the wild.
I have never seen anyone do this with a USB-c port. I have never heard anyone complain their USB-C port wore out.
USB-C was designed for far greater durability & reliability & IMO it clearly & obviously shows.
I really like USB-C. It's sooo convenient to charge my notebook, my headphones, my phone, my everything with the same cable. However what bothers me since someone pointed it out to me: for phones, which are used all day in all kind of situations, lightning has a big andvantage over USB-C. It's has no parts inside the port and therefore is harder to break. Maybe we get something like this with USB-D, but hopefully it will take a long time until then. Meanwhile I'll enjoy my Fairphone, which has a replacable USB-C port.