this post was submitted on 08 Aug 2023
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We’ve known that the iPhone is switching to USB-C for a while now, but there was always a possibility that Apple would stick with Lightning for one more year. Based on the latest leaked images, however, Apple is all-in on USB-C for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models, with USB-C parts for the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, and iPhone 15 Pro Max all shown in a leaked image by X user fix Apple.

With the switch to USB-C, nearly all of Apple’s devices will have adopted the new standard, with only AirPods, Mac accessories, and the iPhone SE remaining aside from older iPhones and the 9th-gen iPad.

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[–] [email protected] 230 points 1 year ago (23 children)

Government regulation works.

[–] [email protected] 40 points 1 year ago (9 children)

I think the jury is still out on this one imo. If Apple does what the rumors are saying and limit it to 500mA @ 5V and 480Mbps transfer speed unless you have a MFI chip in the cable, then I don't think these regulations worked.

Also, if a hypothetical USB type D comes out some time in the future and blows USB type C out of the water in every category, but phones can't use it because the EU said, then these regulations didn't work. It's my understanding that the EU protected against this possiblity, so I'm hopeful that this won't happen. But I haven't actually read the bill myself. I have only heard this from comments on the internet, so I don't know for sure.

[–] [email protected] 81 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is not correct for devices being sold to the EU at least. Part of the amendment to the Radio Equipment Regulation outlines the exact standards for power delivery that must be used, and that interfaces which are capable of being charged @ > 15W must "ensure that any additional charging protocol allows for the full functionality of the USB Power Delivery...".

For data transfer, I don't see the point and future improvements to USB will come from industry in future.

The only way around this is with a wireless charging protocol, but manufacturers are moving away from that it appears.

[–] [email protected] 51 points 1 year ago

If the EU covered all their bases here and Apple doesn't find a way to screw their customers, I will be extremely happy. I just feel like they always find some way to be shitty. 😂

[–] [email protected] 71 points 1 year ago (4 children)

The EU requirement isn’t actually USB-C. It’s whatever USB-IF says is the standard connector. So if USB-C gen2x2 (or wherever they will call it) comes out, that will be what everyone has to implement.

The problem would arise when USB-IF stops being the de-facto innovation driver for peripheral interconnection.

[–] [email protected] 59 points 1 year ago

It's amazing how few people know this very basic fact about EU regulation yet are so quick to criticize it. Internet in a nutshell I guess...

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[–] [email protected] 72 points 1 year ago (7 children)

EU is the real MVP. Hoping that a few more years now and we'll have iphone with USB C, app sideloading, user replacable battery. I've never owned an iphone before but if that happens, I might consider one.

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[–] [email protected] 64 points 1 year ago (7 children)

Apple is honestly garbage. This would have been news 5 years ago. Now it's just sad.

[–] [email protected] 55 points 1 year ago (3 children)

This is not sad. Progress is progress.

Good on EU to force their hand, we should be cheering for regulatory agencies making life better for consumers.

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Wait until you hear the same Apple fans who kept repeating the iPhone is better because of the lightning port suddenly praise Apple's genius to switch to USB-C.

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[–] [email protected] 63 points 1 year ago (1 children)

One of the good things coming out of the EU.

I still wonder if Apple will do a split between EU iPhones and the rest of the world, though. Lightning accessories make money.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 year ago (9 children)

It makes them a very small amount of money. But they’ve also been rumored to be making iPhones use a “Made for Apple” type of cable for faster charging speeds. I think that would be really dumb but here we are.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago

a “Made for Apple” type of cable

That is absolutely ridiculous, but not surprising at all.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (15 children)

making iPhones use a “Made for Apple” type of cable for faster charging speeds

They can't do that. The iPhone must comply with PD.

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[–] [email protected] 61 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Hot damn! Thank you, EU. Maybe we'll finally be able to climb out of connector hell.

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[–] [email protected] 52 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Hm. For some reason, I felt like Apple was going to be petty enough to only make phones with USB-C ports exclusively for EU territories and leave the rest of the world with proprietary ports. Good for them for not doing that I guess.

[–] [email protected] 40 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It's simply cheaper for them not to have two different devices.

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[–] [email protected] 41 points 1 year ago (7 children)

Watch them roll with the most barebones feature set possible just so they can point and say, "see, lightning was obviously better!"

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (21 children)

There's no point for Apple to self sabotage like that. Why make your new shiny $1500 phone look bad just to praise a discontinued products? Switching back to Lightning is impossible. Better to just move on with it and because it's Apple, they will more likely to pull some bullshit like "Reinventing USB-C" or "The Best USB-C in the world".

Apple would rather just ditch all physical ports and move to 100% wireless than praising Lightning over USB-C.

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[–] [email protected] 38 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 year ago (12 children)

I wonder how they're going to announce it at their keynote. Because Apple was strong armed into doing this they didn't want to. At all. They kicked and screamed the whole way but they did comply.

So. Will they present it as an evolution like they almost invented the thing? Will they be passive aggressive about it? Or will they just say nothing about it.

I'm also expecting Apple to basically use the worst USB-C standard possible, which, just like Lightning, will basically be USB 2 in terms of speeds and so on. At least on the non-pro models. :/

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Apple actually pioneered and pushed USB-C use with their Macbooks which had only USB-C ports. Pretty sure they kept lightning out of pure greed.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago (17 children)

I'm really curious how apple will present that on stage. If they say anything positive about the change everyone will ask why they didn't do it sooner. But they also can't just not say anything about it

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They'll do like they always do and pretend it's the greatest, most innovative feature ever. They'll probably give it a hip new name like 'light speed port' and make it only compatible with Apple-branded products.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The EU specifically disallowed that in their terms.

  • Harmonised fast charging technology will help prevent that different producers unjustifiably limit the charging speed and will help to ensure that charging speed is the same when using any compatible charger for a device.

Source

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Two possibilities:

  • It's a revolution. They give it a specific name and blablabla.
  • They don't say anything.
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[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago

I think there's a good chance that they act like it was their idea and that they are doing a the world a huge favor by switching.

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Next up: allow side loading!

I might actually consider getting an iPhone.

(it's crazy you still cannot get a version of Firefox with both adblock and bookmarks sync on ios)

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 year ago (5 children)

fucking hell are we really at number 15? Are they just going to keep going with this naming scheme until the iPhone 1523?

[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Firefox 114: "First time?"

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You simply cant win. People make fun of Xbox fand Windows for having non sequential names, and iPhone gets berated for having a naming scheme that's sensical, easy to follow and date

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Yup, out of all the things I hate about Apple, their iPhone's naming scheme is something I wish other brands would follow (including Apple with thier other devices).

Apple iPad on the other hand, is a completely mess.

To OP, what's wrong with sequential names? I look at an iphone and i know exactly when they were released and their relative performance to other iphone models. Why is it a bad thing?

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Samsung went straight from S10 to S20.

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes because wireless charging is still very inefficient. Most of the energy seems to go into cooking your phone for you rather than actually recharging the battery.

It's fine for a quick top-up but if you want your phone to go from flat to 30% in 15 minutes you're going to need wired charging for the foreseeable future.

Going over to full wineless charging would have been very anti-consumer. Not that I'm going to get an Apple device, but I'm glad that they didn't try and screw people over on that one.

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I wish I could get a 15 mini with usbc. That's all I want.

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