Other Lightning port

[2004powerbookg4]

Most simple answer. USBC is universal. In theory, every device can use the same cable to transfer video, audio, data, power, and all at higher speeds and qualities than lightning. Imagine a world where the same cable powered your laptop and phone and speakers and every other electronic device you use.

Lightning only still around because it is proprietary and and apple makes a ton of money for licensing of the tech. Attaching a pic of my travel bag. I am eagerly awaiting the day when I no longer carry those lame lightning cables.

PS - new chargers need to stop adding in ports or using USB-A. Thats my only pet peave w the black charger in this photo.

 

[CraigJDuffy]

When people say slower, do they mean for charging? Surely the vast, vast majority of people don’t use a cable for transferring data. We have this thing called the cloud, and apples version of it has been around even longer than lightning!

Wanna try transfer a terabyte of 4K video off an iPhone via the cloud?

 

[MallardDuck]

What’s wrong with the lighting port and why is apple and everyone else so anxious to get rid of it? My iPhone 13, Apple TV remote, AirPods, Magic Mouse, all use lightning and I am not upgrading the moment they all feature USB-C ports.

USB 2.0 sync speed, lower power options, and having to carry and use multiple different connectors.

The industry finally got USB right with C. Unidirectional like A is annoying. B and micro-B deserve a special place in hell for the designers.

 

[Tdude96]

I don't know the legislation. Does it specifically mandate USB-C or is more like a standardized connector and that just happens to be USB-C at the moment (could conceivably be something else if a standards group agrees)?

They specifically name and mandate that USB-C be used. And yes, there's a slim chance something else could eventually replace USB-C if a new connector sees widespread adoption and is later agreed upon by the EU. In theory, device manufacturers could create a new connector and deploy it alongside USB-C (the device would need to be manufactured to have both) until the EU agrees to the new standard and decrees it is the new standard.

The other challenge to manufacturers is that the EU no longer wants companies to include cables with devices, although they're waiting a few years on the implementation of that rule. When implemented, that will create another barrier to innovation, as someone with a better connector idea would not only have to design devices with both USB-C and the better connector, but also convince customers it's so good, they should purchase a separate cable.

The chances of all that coming together are remote. Independent innovation or development would have insurmountable hurtles to overcome. Likely the only chance for an update is when the USB Implementers organization decides to move on from USB-C and puts in a request with the EU, effectively locking out manufacturers or groups who may come up with a better solution.

 

[MallardDuck]

When people say slower, do they mean for charging? Surely the vast, vast majority of people don’t use a cable for transferring data. We have this thing called the cloud, and apples version of it has been around even longer than lightning!

1) I own my music, in Lossless. Ditto for much of my video.
2) Loading 250-750GB of data via the cloud and wifi takes hours or days. With USB-C, I can reload my ipad in < 1 hour. With Lightning my 250GB on the phone takes overnight.
3) Local Wifi sync is problematic at best, and corrupts libraries at worst - and you have to plug in the device anyway because it'll suck all the battery life out of it while it runs for 2x longer than a cable.

Why sell large storage devices if you make it impossible to load data on them rapidly?

I've tried restoring a phone from the cloud and it was miserably slow and didn't work well. Restoring a backup from itunes/finder just works. Ditto for major OS upgrades - plus a bonus is that it downloads the upgrade file once instead of 6 times.

 

[dubiousgif]

USB 2.0 sync speed, lower power options, and having to carry and use multiple different connectors.

The industry finally got USB right with C. Unidirectional like A is annoying. B and micro-B deserve a special place in hell for the designers.

USB-C doesn’t inherently mean faster than 2.0 transfer speeds, since 2.0 is part of the spec. Hopefully Apple goes with faster than the bare minimum though.

 

[jwolf6589]

USB 2.0 sync speed, lower power options, and having to carry and use multiple different connectors.

The industry finally got USB right with C. Unidirectional like A is annoying. B and micro-B deserve a special place in hell for the designers.

I would like to carry less chargers when I travel. Presently it’s 4 chargers for 4 devices. When I was in the hospital I had all except my laptop. An annoying pain. Watch, iPad, iPhone.

 

[JamesMay82]

Nothing wrong with it. Your issue is with the European Union, who is forcing Apple to switch to USB-C for iPhones/iDevices.

We just need them to force the paid vacation laws and maternity leave next 🤞😂

 

[JustinKent]

Not seeing it on any of these head-to-head spec comparisons of Lightning vs. USB-C, but I prefer the physical profile of Lighting.

Lightning	USB-C
thinner connector profile	thicker connector profile
nothing inside receptacle to break	nagging feeling that the tongue inside the device-side receptacle could bend or break
fairly inexpensive cable	price ranges widely along with the quality of the cable
all cables functionally equivalent	cables not all created equally

 

[ThomasJL]

What’s wrong with the lighting port and why is apple and everyone else so anxious to get rid of it?

This:

Will iPhone 14 be USB 2.0? Probably, since Cook is mediocre.

Apple computers have had USB 3.0 since mid-2012. That is 10 years ago. Despite that, Tim Cook, being the mediocre beancounter MBA suit that he is, has still not done anything to upgrade the connectivity on the latest iPhones. The latest iPhones use the same USB 2.0 connectivity that shipped with...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[BellSystem]

Why? Because it’s stupid.

I love nothing more than to carry multiple special cables when traveling because Apple wants to use its inferior cable. It would be one thing if the cables were made durable, but they are not. I’ve had more lightning cables fall apart than USB. I hate that they get super dirty on the contacts because of the poorly thought out design.

I want to bring 1 charger and 1 cable with me for multiple devices. I want to be able to charge my phone with the most common standard everyone has for something.

In 2023 there is no argument for the lighting cable beyond Apple fanboyism. It was fantastic when it came out….now it’s old and needs to go. It’s proprietary for the sake of being proprietary. If we are going to reduce waste we need to move away from proprietary cables that serve no purpose beyond ecosystem locks and charging companies for a “works with” sticker. If Apple (and anyone else) really cares about environmental issues, they will need to start embracing standards.

 

[stiligFox]

When people say slower, do they mean for charging? Surely the vast, vast majority of people don’t use a cable for transferring data. We have this thing called the cloud, and apples version of it has been around even longer than lightning!

When I transfer off the usually around 5000 photos off my iPhone I am *not* using the cloud or wireless options lol

 

[jwolf6589]

Why? Because it’s stupid.

I love nothing more than to carry multiple special cables when traveling because Apple wants to use its inferior cable. It would be one thing if the cables were made durable, but they are not. I’ve had more lightning cables fall apart than USB. I hate that they get super dirty on the contacts because of the poorly thought out design.

I want to bring 1 charger and 1 cable with me for multiple devices. I want to be able to charge my phone with the most common standard everyone has for something.

In 2023 there is no argument for the lighting cable beyond Apple fanboyism. It was fantastic when it came out….now it’s old and needs to go. It’s proprietary for the sake of being proprietary. If we are going to reduce waste we need to move away from proprietary cables that serve no purpose beyond ecosystem locks and charging companies for a “works with” sticker. If Apple (and anyone else) really cares about environmental issues, they will need to start embracing standards.

Or they get dirty because people don’t take care of them.

 

[LionTeeth]

I’m with you, OP.

My and my wife's phone charging life is built around lightning. Cars, bedsides, couch, workstations etc. It would be a cost to replace all of them. I’m about ready to upgrade and I’m seriously considering getting the 14 pro right now just so I don’t have to deal with a new charge port (which is inferior in every way to lightning).

 

[LionTeeth]

USB 2.0 sync speed

No, it’s capable of high speed. Apple just cripples it, which I disagree with. But it’s more robust, longer lasting, and just as speedy as USB-C

 

[Pointillism]

Not seeing it on any of these head-to-head spec comparisons of Lightning vs. USB-C, but I prefer the physical profile of Lighting.

Lightning	USB-C
thinner connector profile	thicker connector profile
nothing inside receptacle to break	nagging feeling that the tongue inside the device-side receptacle could bend or break
fairly inexpensive cable	price ranges widely along with the quality of the cable
all cables functionally equivalent	cables not all created equally

Yeah, that 2nd point is why I'm not totally happy with the iPhone moving over to USB-C. I've knocked my phone off the nightstand plenty of times and - while I've been fairly lucky in avoiding serious damage - my clumsiness has resulted in at least two broken lightning cables... but nothing more than that. I don't know if I'll be nearly as lucky if/when I do end up knocking off a USB-C iPhone off my nightstand.

edit: also, I think Lightning ports being a bit easier to clean out is another advantage.

 

[minik]

Would be interesting to know the percentage of consumers that do so though. I’m guessing it would be a fraction of a percent

Even I have iCloud Photos and 2TB iCloud storage, I still use the Lightning cable to USB-A/C to transfer photos onto my Mac for a local back up.

 

[AZhappyjack]

What’s wrong with the lighting port and why is apple and everyone else so anxious to get rid of it? My iPhone 13, Apple TV remote, AirPods, Magic Mouse, all use lightning and I am not upgrading the moment they all feature USB-C ports.

The EU is forcing the issue... all devices need to use a single cord... and USB-C is their choice... if Apple wants to sell phones in the EU, they have to play... and if Apple has to convert the iPhone to USB-C for the EU, there's no point to making one with the lightning cable anywhere else - double the work... plain and simple.

 

[Sami13496]

Nothing. Some YouTubers said USB-C and all the ‘sheeple’ are now repeating it.

 

[Sami13496]

My 23' XC90

Humble brag?

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

What’s wrong with the lighting port and why is apple and everyone else so anxious to get rid of it? My iPhone 13, Apple TV remote, AirPods, Magic Mouse, all use lightning and I am not upgrading the moment they all feature USB-C ports.

It’s because most more modern devices now use USB-C. It’s become a standard and is quicker and more universal. Apple are behind the curve and seem reluctant to catch up, but are thankfully being forced to finally.

 

[haruhiko]

There is no argument for the Lightning port anymore, Apple deliberately crippled it with the transfer speed and now they face the consequences. Plus the possibility of accessories are just night and day. Plugging an external drive to the iPad Pro via USB C is so convenient. Not so for the iPhone.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

When people say slower, do they mean for charging? Surely the vast, vast majority of people don’t use a cable for transferring data. We have this thing called the cloud, and apples version of it has been around even longer than lightning!

Gee, I wonder if that’s perhaps largely in part due to Apple aggressively pushing iCloud for all its devices and the “tiny” detail that USB 2.0 aka the tech inside your Lightning cables and connectors has a theoretical speed limit of 480mb/s and real world transfer speeds of some 30-60mb/s? So transferring one 100gb file would take 30 minutes?

Despite its unreliable nature, Wifi has been way faster than USB 2.0 for several many years. Every iPhone owner knows this from first hand experience thanks to Apple’s greed.

But Wi-Fi being way faster than cabled transfers is not because cabled transfers are slower, or USB not seeing any improvements. It’s because Apple only gives you the same 480mb/s that equates to about 60mb/s irl that we have been getting from all USB 2.0 since april 2000 when USB 2.0 debuted.

I also “love” this notion that the change from Lightning to USB-C is some huge, incredibly costly and highly complex undertaking for Apple, as if it hasn’t been putting it in Macs since 2015 and iPads Pro in 2018 with nothing but improvements and no downsides or hiccups whatsoever because it’s literally the same USB tech just minus the proprietary connectors/ports we get with Lightning(!!!)

Lightning is not some super advanced alien technology that Steve Jobs inherited from the Pleiadians and left us as his magnum opus before his passing. It’s in no way superior or has any other abilities than any other iteration of USB 2.0 other than the formfactor being smaller and the male connector inserted in any direction.

I could understand the sentimental feelings towards Lightning if Apple had actually improved it and brought it up to speed over the years. But they chose the route of no r&d and higher margins.

But, thankfully, the E.U. is stepping in and shutting down the outdated proprietary mess that Apple has created.

 

[one more]

A similar debate was going on when Apple replaced its proprietary 30-pin cable with Lightning.

While I understand that people still have gadgets with Lightning ports, USB-C is more technically advanced and much more common, with zillions of other devices using them.

Simply imagine losing or damaging your Lightning vs USB-C cable while on the move. You will be able to find another USB-C cable way faster.

 

[Sami13496]

Many people will certainly benefit from USB-C, but there are also those (including me) who don't care if it’s USB-C or Lightning. I don't transfer data via cable so I don’t care about transfer speeds. If I have to take a cable with me, that means I have to take my back pack anyway. At that point I don’t care how many cables I have to take, they all fit in the backpack.

My point is that sure, for certain groups USB-C makes a real difference. But in the same time many people who don’t even benefit from USB-C make noice and repeat it like mantra because it’s ‘hot topic’.