Hacker News Reader

Comment by gumby | Hacker News Reader

Apple’s been slowly moving to USB C for the past 7-8 years (laptops, then iPads). I think they might have had the first USB C laptop, the 12” MacBook, in 2015. And apple was one of the designers of USB-C.

So why the narrative that they were forced into it?

View on HN

It's the narrative because it's true. In 2009 the EU told mobile phone manufacturers to standardize on a common charging connector. Then the manufacturers announced they would standardize on micro-USB, and reached an agreement, or Memorandum of Understanding, with the EU[1][2]. This included Apple. Note that complying with an MoU is voluntary.

It turns out there was a loophole there, because the agreement didn't actually require a micro-USB port on the device. Apple complied by providing a USB-based charging block. This was against the spirit of the agreement, but it was allowed. Regulators were not happy.

The MoU expired. A new one was in the cards for USB-C that fixed the loophole, but Apple objected claiming it was too thick, and some other manufacturers said it might be too small. Despite this the industry kept using standardized connectors as they moved to USB-C, with one significant exception: Apple. To fix that in 2020 the process was started to introduce a law that would also force Apple to standardize, and that law is now arriving.

[1]: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_09_... [2]: https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/2417/attachments/1/t...

Lightning has been around for more than 10 years. Now customers can't reuse those cables / accessories. Though I'm sure plenty will welcome the consolidation as well. So the narrative is good for Apple.

Also the facts show Apple lobbied against usb c in the EU: innovation and patents, phone too thin.

I'm honestly annoyed by this, Lightning is a strictly better connector from a mechanical perspective, and that affects my life 100x more than any theoretical speed improvements

The latching mechanism is simpler, more robust gives better tactile feedback to confirm connection, the port itself lends itself to easier cleaning...

I'm almost certain Apple is moving to USB C not to appease the totally toothless EU, but because it's just gotten cheaper for them at this point. They're making the phone worse to save money.

I feel like the "floating" bits in the center of the ports will break like crazy.

If I put on my game theory/conspiracy cap on, it could be interesting to deliberately make that part of the port extra flimsy so Apple has an excuse (due to public out cry) to remove the port completely and go full wireless, both charging and data.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com