Apple reveals Lightning to microUSB adapter to pacify Europe

http://www.slashgear.com/apple-reveals-lightning-to-microusb-adapter-to-pacify-europe-13247411/

by dchichkov • 14 years ago

39 65 14 years ago

corin_• 14 years ago

I'm not familiar with the specifics of legislation, but surely it must be pretty shoddy if companies are allowed to charge for adapters which are needed to make the phone comply with the rule?

panacea5• 14 years ago

I'm not an expert, but yeah, I'm fairly sure these will need to be included in the box for iPhones sold in Europe.

Off topic, but the Lightening connector has 8 copper strips, and it's a 9 pin connecter. Presumably, the outer metal strip is the 9th?

Does this adapter lessen the capabilities of the connector?

I mean, are their legitimate functional requirements that the 9-pin connector addresses beyong the capabilities of a micro-usb? I've seen a comment or two on blogs, but no explanation.

_djo_5• 14 years ago

Yes, the additional pins are for things like audio in/out & video out, making the Lightning connector more capable than microUSB alone. So this microUSB adaptor will be usable for charging only.

In terms of the legislation that's ok, as it only specifies a common charging format, not a common accessory connector format.

ZeroGravitas• 14 years ago

I assume in the box you'll get a charging cable that has lightning at one end, and standard USB at the other, which then plugs into a USB charger.

The USB charger and cable are then reusable seperately.

That's what you get with the current iPhones anyway, and I believe Apple were one of the one's pushing for that to be acceptable under this law, even though it's not really complying with the spirit.

unwind• 14 years ago

I have very little first-hand experience with Apple products, but based on the wording in the EU FAQ linked to above, that assumption is a bit strange.

Since the EU "understanding" specifies micro USB, i.e. the connector on the phone, your solution goes completely parallel to this requirement. I don't think it would be said to comply in that case, what if the users have chargers with fixed cables, terminating in micro USB plugs?

Then you can't just substitute the Apple cable.

brunnsbe2• 14 years ago

I guess they will need to include the adapter with the phone here in EU, otherwise they can be in serious trouble with even a sales blockade by EU as one of the options.

Here is a FAQ about the Micro-USB from the European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/rtte/chargers/questio...

taligent6• 14 years ago

Apple isn't stupid. They always include the adapter and charger with every iPhone sold.

Not just to comply with regulations but because the iPhone is designed to be usable without a computer.

brunnsbe2• 14 years ago

Of course they will include the charger, but now the question is if they will include the micro-USB adapter as well.

marbletiles4• 14 years ago

None of the adapters offered so far look like they're going to support use inside existing docks/devices -- the best you can do is the use the cable adapter and then sit the phone nearby.

On top of that, there isn't even a Lightning dock for sale from Apple!

This change seems badly thought out, and shaving a few mm from the overall device a poor justification for the massive expense and upheaval involved. When even hotel rooms have caught on to the popularity of the dock connector, changing it should have had better reasons.

coob• 14 years ago

> On top of that, there isn't even a Lightning dock for sale from Apple!

There aren't even any Lightning products for sale from Apple yet, how about waiting more than 24 hours?

marbletiles4• 14 years ago

There are four different Lightning adapters on the store (OK, for pre-order). You think a few days will make a difference? You think they'll announce a dock next week with an "oops"?

If they were doing a dock, it would be ready on day one.

nicholassmith4• 14 years ago

Shaving a few mm is definitely a good justification for doing it. Every company is pushing for thinner devices.

The dock connector has been in use for years, it was fit for purpose then and it's not fit for purpose now. Apple as a company has never shown any remorse over killing technology and ports it thinks are outdated and pushing forward.

Personally I think it's the best thing of the new iPhone, the current connector sucks and is overly fragile, but I'm not invested in docks or similar mostly as the change has been expected since the iPhone 4ish.

marbletiles4• 14 years ago

"never shown any remorse over killing technology and ports it thinks are outdated and pushing forward"

Whenever it has done this, it has nearly always been in the name of progress -- it has made things better.

This makes them worse. It takes you from a world with nearly a half-billion usable dock connectors and devices in it to a world with none (unless you remember your adapter everywhere you go).

This is not them replacing ADB with USB. This is them replacing VGA with ADC (their ill-fated custom video adapter which was rightfully killed when the market adopted DVI.)

The market now is settling on Micro-USB (which would have equally given them their few mm back) The advantages of "adaptive digital interface" pale next to the advantages of "a charger and connection, wherever in the world you are".

Dylan168072• 14 years ago

Shaving mm would be a good enough excuse. But they're not. Lightning and microusb are about the same size, a third as thick as the phone body. They could easily put in both ports but it wouldn't be Apple enough.

taligent6• 14 years ago

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD823ZM/A/lightning-to-30-...

Why wouldn't this one allow the iPhone 5 to work with existing docks/devices ? So long as the device is sturdy enough (which I can imagine it would be) then there should be no problem.

marbletiles4• 14 years ago

This adapter is really designed for cables, like those in cars. The unit is too long for the existing docks to be able to provide support to the back of a phone, and hence the entire load is going to go on that tiny length of Lightning adapter.

That's not going to work: either the dock will tip or something will give.

moondowner• 14 years ago

Instead of changing the old port with Lightning, they could've changed it to microUSB.

batista2• 14 years ago

Except if, you know, microUSB specs don't cover everything they need the adapter to do.

ars2• 14 years ago

They should have had two connectors, linked together.

That way you can plug in just a standard microUSB, or a larger cable with microUSB right next to extra pins.

CWIZO2• 14 years ago

What does microUSB not provide that they need?

ja27• 14 years ago

Then extend the microUSB port, similar to what HTC did with ExtUSB. That would allow charge / sync with a microUSB cable but still allow extended features through the same port.

fredley• 14 years ago

Can anyone come up with a feasible reason why they haven't done this? Other than allow the connector to go in either way up, what advantages does Lightning provide?

rplnt• 14 years ago

Some weird Apple marketing strategy (to have different port than anyone else) would be my biggest guess. Also, the USB probably isn't the best choice (as others mentioned you want to have audio and other stuff in one port).. but Apple was among the manufacturers to agree on the micro-usb just few years back.

eloisant• 14 years ago

1. Force you to buy overpriced cables 2. Lock you in - once you have a bunch of iPhone-only peripherals, you're more likely to keep buying iPhones rather than switching brands

gte910h3• 14 years ago

Lightning is just a redo of the 30 pin dock connector. It's STILL a 30 pin dock connector.

The point of a 30 pin dock connector is to make it so it's easy as hell to make 3rd party accessories for the devices, which you'll notice are legion.

The adapter is the right choice. It's not just a charging port.

ars2• 14 years ago

How is an adapter a valid way to obey the law? The goal is that you don't have proprietary chargers in the box. i.e. the goal is the charger, not the phone.

If apple sells the phone with their charger, that has a proprietary interface that are not obeying the law, adapter or no adapter.

To obey the law the charger must have a microUSB connector on it, and they need to offer phones with no charger at a lower cost as an option.

The goal is to reduce waste, instead apple is increasing it with this adapter.

epo• 14 years ago

You want to apply to Apple for a job as a lawyer, you obviously think you know more about the law then they do.

cico71• 14 years ago

Well, their lawyers apparently thought to know well the laws about warranty around Europe and they got fined...

m_eiman• 14 years ago

The charger has a normal USB-A female connecter, so you can connect any USB cable that will fit in a computer to it. So the charger itself isn't limited to Lightning, but can be used with a USBA->microUSB cable.

Also see http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/rtte/chargers/questio... that says:

Which is the agreed common interface?

On the basis of the Micro-USB interface, the companies have agreed to develop a common specification in order to allow for full compatibility of chargers and mobile phones. These specifications have been translated in European standards.

N.B.: The agreement allows for the use of an adaptor.

buro92• 14 years ago

> N.B.: The agreement allows for the use of an adaptor.

That doesn't make sense unless Apple ship adaptors for both the charger and phone.

As your parent said, the goal is very clearly to have one charger be capable of charging any mobile device.

So... can the Apple charger be used on the Nokia? If not, then they also need to make available an adaptor the other way around.

The whole point is to not ship chargers at some point. If Apple make it so that other chargers can charge the iPhone but the Apple charger cannot charge anything else, then Apple are still outside the spirit of the law.

They need to provide 2 adaptors. The charger must charge a Nokia, and a Nokia charger must charge an iPhone.

antirez• 14 years ago

Also, functionally speaking, the idea is that if you have your phone in your pocket and you have no charger with you, any charger of any other phone will do it. It is not the case if you need an adapter.

sdfx• 14 years ago

As I understand it, it's not a law but an agreement among the industry:

  > As a result, world leading mobile phone producers committed
  > themselves to ensure compatibility of data-enabled mobile phones,

ipt• 14 years ago

It's a shame Apple didn't design this new port such that a microUSB cable could plug straight into one half of it (for charging only).

josteink• 14 years ago

Apple: NIH reinvented.

Matsta• 14 years ago

It seems like something that will get lost after 2 seconds since its so small. Wouldn't it of been better if they made something really slim that just attached to the bottom of your phone? So if you did want to regularly charge with micro usb, you could just leave it on and not loose it.

The other thing I don't get is why Apple charge so much for this tiny thing. In 2 seconds flat we'll see clones of it coming on ebay for $1, if Apple actually priced it at $5 or something, people would actually buy it and Apple would still make a 1000% mark up on it.

laacz• 14 years ago

Please, please, stop saying that there is a law on microUSB compatibility in EU. There is memorandum of agreement, which is not binding. Vendors agreed that it would be awesome, if you could charge any phone via common external power supply. That's all. Nobody is forcing anyone to do anything.

Also, there are several standards, which also are not binding. One can implement them and wave hands, but one can also ignore them or work around them (via adaptor, for example).

Apple reveals Lightning to microUSB adapter to pacify Europe

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