The end of lightning is nigh, possibly.

[Guest]

Seems the EU are on a mission to force all manufacturers to accept a single charging connector.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51137069

 

Quote

The cable is used to charge and sync Apple devices, including the iPhone.

But members of the European Parliament urged the European Commission on Monday to force tech giants to adopt a single universal charging method.

Apple products do not accept the other two non-wireless types of charger which are available - USB-C and micro-USB, which work on Android devices.

Interesting action to take but O am not sure it will be passed.

 

Quote

Regulators will vote on the matter on a yet to be determined date, but Apple says the proposed regulation would stifle innovation and be disruptive to consumers.

In some ways I agree it could stifle innovation. Who chooses future connectors for instance? What if a brand come up with something far better, or decide technology has moved on far enough to ditch any connector. They would need to go through quite an extensive procedure to sell the items in the EU.

Quote

It is likely Apple would then adopt USB-C, considering the company's 2019 iPad Pro ditched Lightning in favour of the technology. 

A new cable would mark the tech giant's third in 13 years.

It makes sense in an iPad but does it in all devices?

 

Quote

There were more than 30 types of charger on the market in 2009, but that number has since been reduced to just three.

The regulator is determined to cut down on electronic waste being created by obsolete cables, which it estimates generate more than 51,000 tonnes of waste per year.

"This is hugely detrimental for the environment," said European Parliament member Alex Agius Saliba.

"A common charger should fit all mobile phones, tablets, e-book readers and other portable devices."

So they are citing environmental reasons. I agree it was silly at one point, I could probably find a shed load of wall warts in cupboards etc. Not sure regulation is the way though.

[TVwazhere]

This seems..... A bit overreaching. 

[Fasauceome]

I can't see this having any real support, adapters are super cheap and people have got other things to worry about

[RejZoR]

Most of those 51000 tons of garbage are made by idiots who can't take the most basic care of cables. Not because Apple uses Lightning cable and most others use USB-C...

[Tristerin]

Governments - making something out of nothing, all the while taking from its citizens something, until they have nothing.

[Suika]

20 minutes ago, RejZoR said:

Most of those 51000 tons of garbage are made by idiots who can't take the most basic care of cables. Not because Apple uses Lightning cable and most others use USB-C...

I've had cables fail by simply existing, to suggest that it's solely on consumers for the creation of cable waste is a huge stretch.

 

I like the idea behind the regulations but I'm not convinced this is the way to go. If obsolete cables is such a large waste problem, why wouldn't the EU tackle it in any other way? Such as a minimum manufacturing quality to prevent fragile cables from becoming waste months or even weeks after purchase? Or tackling Apple and other manufacturers for massive waste problems, such as some of the anti-repair bullshit Apple's been going on about while touting how green of a company they are?

[RejZoR]

Just now, Suika said:

I've had cables fail by simply existing, to suggest that it's solely on consumers for the creation of cable waste is a huge stretch.

 

I like the idea behind the regulations but I'm not convinced this is the way to go. If obsolete cables is such a large waste problem, why wouldn't the EU tackle it in any other way? Such as a minimum manufacturing quality to prevent fragile cables from becoming waste months or even weeks after purchase? Or tackling Apple and other manufacturers for massive waste problems, such as some of the anti-repair bullshit Apple's been going on about while touting how green of a company they are?

It's not a huge stretch. It's how carelessly weird people are. Twisting and curling cables so they have internal wires curled up inside insulation layer of the cable, bent and fringed cable ends right next to connector, bent connectors, cracked charger cases etc. I have cables ranging from quality original ones to cheap Chinese ones and they all last and behave the same for me. And I haven't thrown one away coz of damage to date. In 20+ years. Even those impossibly crappy ones on Ericsson phones back in the day that started losing contact under certain angles after under 2 years of usage. Since microUSB came into existence I haven't had a single cable acting up in any way shape or form. And I just take basic care of them.

[Blademaster91]

There would be a lot less waste if the first party Apple cables weren't fragile garbage.

Is this overreaching? Idk, but it is kinda ironic as you can charge an ipad or macbook with a USB-C cable yet a worse proprietary cable is needed to charge an iphone. Apple is stifling their own innovation by not letting users just have one cable for their devices. There wouldn't be any waste of existing chargers or cables if an adapter were provided, but Apple would charge extra for that considering they took away the headphone jack and don't include an adapter for free.

[williamcll]

Very cool but when will the USB-C plug on most phones must support USB 3.1?

[Founders]

Knowing how Apple generally operates they’ll probably stop including lightning cables/wall warts in retail boxes until they’re ready to either switch to USB-C or remove the port all together. 

[pas008]

this should have been enforced long ago imho

 

2bn my ass they lose out on their ecosystem money

 

this should be quoted also

 

Apple, along with 10 other leading tech giants such as Nokia and Samsung, signed a memorandum of understanding in 2009.

They pledged to provide micro-USB compatible chargers for consumers.

However, Apple took advantage of a loophole that allowed manufacturers to continue using their own chargers if they offered an adaptor.

Then, in 2014, the EU passed the Radio Equipment Directive, which called for a "renewed effort to develop a common charger".

Apple insisted that its slimmer devices would be unable to fit the then-new USB-C technology, and it claimed it would cost up to $2bn (£1.53bn) to meet the desired standard.

[Dietrichw]

This would be hard for me since I see Lighting as a better designed (durable) connector than type C. It still drives me nuts that apple uses USB 2.0 on everything but iPads with Lightning.

 

[Brooksie359]

Honestly I think apple should be able to use what cables and ports it wants and should not have to use some universal standard because the EU said so. I'm sorry but I don't want the EU making up rules for what tech companies can do with their own technology. 

[mr moose]

I am never really for any government forcing a company to use a specific design in it's product. I was staunchly against the EU forcing apple to have USB on their charges when they first introduced laws like this.  And to a degree I still am, but we have to tackle e-waste and seeing as these companies aren't doing a great deal themselves (by making products that are worse for the environment because they are not made to last as long as they can) then a little bit of coercion is needed. 

 

Also blaming the consumer for a dodgy product is Bullshit in the highest order.  I have 3 failed ipad leads here that never left the bench, they were used only to charge the devices and the sheaths all perished even in an ideal situation.  

 

Want to cut down on e-waste, make the products last longer and then recycle when they can't be used anymore.

[Bombastinator]

I don’t think Apple will be the one most affected by this. USB4 basically is lightning. It’s going to be all the little devices like controllers and stuff that use microUSB2 for power.

[Shreyas1]

But why? Is this really that big of an issue? Surely the EU has bigger problems to worry about 

[PlayStation 2]

Oh nice, government mandated connectors. This definitely isn't overreaching at all.

[Bombastinator]

7 minutes ago, handymanshandle said:

Oh nice, government mandated connectors. This definitely isn't overreaching at all.

It probably has a purpose.  Possibly a fairly specific one we’re not seeing.  Such things usually do.  For example Britian instituted a law that had a minimum front height for new cars.  It was supposed to be about safety but what it was really about was inking the smart car for 2 years so british car company’s could catch up. The US did this in the 70’s and 80’s with car safety requirements too.  There will be convenience for users, but there’s probably at least one other reason as well.

[Donut417]

The EU is on its way to becoming the next US. I mean we be over here telling the rest of the world how to live. And we are hated for it. The EU, is not trying to do that. Its not going to end well. 

 

The fact is if the charging standard is an issue Apple users will presure Apple in to changing the standard. The fact is Apple users probably dont figure there is an issue. We have mulitple devices in our home. Some use Micro B, Some use Type C, I have an iPhone so I have Lightning but I use a wireless charger in my home and have the cable out in my car. We have two cheapo tablets that use the round barrel connectors. So........ seeing how not all devices use type C, maybe we can stop the blatant over reaching. 

[poochyena]

Anyone who doesn't support this must have not lived through or remembered the early 2000s where every. single. phone, mp3 player, and other device had a different charger. I remember, it was awful. If it was an older device, the cable itself would cost as much as the device. Stores had large walls of charging cables, and you'd have to go through each one to see which fits your device, and you might not even find the right cable.

5 hours ago, Phill104 said:

What if a brand come up with something far better, or decide technology has moved on far enough to ditch any connector.

They'd develop it with the usb company.
Though, not sure what huge innovation in the charging cable industry you are envisioning though.

[xtroria]

Should apple remove lightning connector? Yes

 

Should it be something that government regulates? NO

 

Please don’t bring some government regulation into something that evolves so quickly

[Bombastinator]

I think both points have merit.  I suspect they don’t matter though because interoperability is possibly the justification not the reason.

[mr moose]

27 minutes ago, poochyena said:

Anyone who doesn't support this must have not lived through or remembered the early 2000s

I lived through it, in fact I still have many chargers and shit in my box'o'bits with weird ass connectors I'll never see again on anything.  However there is one other reason people will be against it,  and that is the free trade argument.   There is a fine line between considered regulation that betters society and oppressive control of private enterprise.

[poochyena]

3 minutes ago, mr moose said:

There is a fine line between considered regulation that betters society and oppressive control of private enterprise.

well, this betters society and doesn't oppress anyone... so......

[Samfisher]

2 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

I don’t think Apple will be the one most affected by this. USB4 basically is lightning. It’s going to be all the little devices like controllers and stuff that use microUSB2 for power.

What?  USB4 is an electrical standard, not a connector standard like Type C.