Authentication chips discovered in teardown of Apple's new Lightning connector

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 73
    galbigalbi Posts: 968member
    Freedom to choose.....NOT



    lol
  • Reply 22 of 73


    I think the bottom line here is that stuff like this:


     


    http://www.amazon.com/iTronz-Charging-Lightning-Cable-iPhone/dp/B0091ABWIO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348254725&sr=8-1&keywords=iphone+lightning+cable


     


    May not be functional, since I don't think Apple with its MFi program has certified any cables other than their own.  I've seen the cables going for 20 cents each if you buy 100,000 cables.  This is why I am doubtful that they work.  There is no question that to offer cables for this, companies will have to jump through hoops, as it's a complex and as yet poorly understood new technology.  It used to be that I could buy Apple dock plugs for a buck and make my own charge & sync cable.  Places made their living doing that.  Now it is really up in the air.  


     


    I agree that the chips could be anything.  


     


    As far as profit margin goes, the previous cables were even more profitable.  Probably 25 cents to make one, and they sold for the same price of $20-30 from Apple.

  • Reply 23 of 73
    Wow, you people actually believe these lies, don't you?

    It's a worldview that comes from decades of buying cheap commoditized PC hardware. They expect Apple power cables to be low tech because all other power cables are...
  • Reply 24 of 73
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    icoco3 wrote: »
    That is a 543% profit....

    19.00 / 3.50 = 5.42857...
    Sorry, you're right of course, I meant in as much as it costs 20% out of the 100% retail price, leaving them with 80% profit.

    Still, sales are such that Apple correctly predicted there was no need to change their profit model to ensure sales of the new iPhone, and as such was a smart business move, since it doesn't devalue the perception of their products. I don't agree with it in this case as a consumer, but as a shareholder, good for them.
  • Reply 25 of 73
    rbrrbr Posts: 631member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by christopher126 View Post


    To me, on the face of it, the Lightening cable is a great improvement over the 30 pin connector which was larger, could only be put in one way, etc. If the chip in the cable is designed to stop third party crap being made, so  be it. All you have to do is walk around Best Buy and most of what they sell is cheap, plasticky, crap products!


     


    I will only buy Apple electronics and SW. I don't begrudge Apple for making money. It means I will enjoy superior SW and Hardware from Apple.





    No it does not. There is no such guarantee.Apple have had their share of "roadapples".

  • Reply 26 of 73
    This is not surprising. With third party 30 pin cables I've had trouble even charging an iPad, let alone trying to transfer data. While I agree with David Pogue that Apple should have kept the retail price far lower, especially for 30-pin adaptors, I welcome the smaller, two-direction design. I suspect (read:hope) that the added chip may bring some extra functionality beyond authentication.
  • Reply 27 of 73
    this is not any different than their strategy for their video-out and other cables. they've had authentication chips for years.
  • Reply 28 of 73
    The most obvious failing of the new connector are those exposed connections. The chip, which is connected to the power circuit, could provide current-limiting protection in case of a short circuit. If that's all it is, it won't be that hard to copy.

    And if that's what it is, using clones without that feature could result in problems.

  • Reply 29 of 73


    So it proves that Apple is gouging their customers.  Costs = $3.50 & Sell = $29.00 that is a pretty steep markup and is simply not justifiable under any circumstances.  We have no choice but to pay the ridiculous price since no one can make a true 3rd party cable.  Shameful Apple, simply SHAMEFUL.

  • Reply 30 of 73


    Manufacturers vary, but the first line is probably the part number and the rest is date code and lot number.

  • Reply 31 of 73
    How does he know these are "authentication" chips and not protocol or power negotiation chips?
  • Reply 32 of 73

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by RaptorOO7 View Post


    So it proves that Apple is gouging their customers.  Costs = $3.50 & Sell = $29.00 that is a pretty steep markup and is simply not justifiable under any circumstances.  We have no choice but to pay the ridiculous price since no one can make a true 3rd party cable.  Shameful Apple, simply SHAMEFUL.



     


    Please explain the thought process that makes you think the total cost of buying the cable parts, manufacturing it, packaging it and shipping it is just the cost of one single part?


     


    Please explain that, because I'd have to have myself into a medically induced coma for that to ever make sense.

  • Reply 33 of 73


    Possibility


     


    Photoshop fiddling suggests "NX20P"


     


    NXP Semiconductors makes an NX20P3000 chip package, so this could very well be an ASIC Apple has made.

  • Reply 34 of 73
    It's great to see Apple integrating technologies that help protect consumers from the risks of using unauthorised accessories with their valuable iDevices.I'm very excited by the vast potential of lightning.

    Wow! Do you really believe Apple has added an authentication chip in the Lightening cable to protect consumers and their valuable advices? Couldn't be to force customers to pay at least $20.00 for an item that costs them $3.50 to build?
  • Reply 35 of 73

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post





    It's a worldview that comes from decades of buying cheap commoditized PC hardware. They expect Apple power cables to be low tech because all other power cables are...


    At launch, I am not sure why everyone expects the cables to be cheap. Even now, i'll bet if you buy the factory cable from most Android manufacturers, they are overpriced. Cheap cables come from the aftermarket ... as in after the product has been released and factories can figure out how to build cables ...

  • Reply 36 of 73

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tbsteph View Post



    It's great to see Apple integrating technologies that help protect consumers from the risks of using unauthorised accessories with their valuable iDevices.I'm very excited by the vast potential of lightning.

    Wow! Do you really believe Apple has added an authentication chip in the Lightening cable to protect consumers and their valuable advices? Couldn't be to force customers to pay at least $20.00 for an item that costs them $3.50 to build?


    Don't forget that to support HDMI out, you will need to support authentication. You can put it in a dongle on the cable, or you can build it into the device. Longterm, the cost of cables is cheaper and the cables are more compact if you build it into the device. Has anyone seen a micro-USB to HDMI out cable that works for Android devices? I think that most of the solutions that I have seen include using a mini-HDMI.

  • Reply 37 of 73

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by RaptorOO7 View Post


    So it proves that Apple is gouging their customers.  Costs = $3.50 & Sell = $29.00 that is a pretty steep markup and is simply not justifiable under any circumstances.  We have no choice but to pay the ridiculous price since no one can make a true 3rd party cable.  Shameful Apple, simply SHAMEFUL.



     


    Are all fast food companies also gouging their customers? I'm not a fast food pricing expert but I am pretty sure it doesn't cost McDonald's more than $0.05 to make a large fry that they sell for $2.19 or whatever.

  • Reply 38 of 73

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by RaptorOO7 View Post


    So it proves that Apple is gouging their customers.  Costs = $3.50 & Sell = $29.00 that is a pretty steep markup and is simply not justifiable under any circumstances.  We have no choice but to pay the ridiculous price since no one can make a true 3rd party cable.  Shameful Apple, simply SHAMEFUL.



    You are a genius. You discovered the secret that so many other could not see. Please tell us, oh great one, what other manufacturing ills you can correct from seeing the price of one component?


     


    The cost of my windshield wipers to Toyota is $11. THEY SHOULD TOTALLY BE CHARGING $11.00 FOR MY CAR!!

  • Reply 39 of 73

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TheHecta View Post


     


    Are all fast food companies also gouging their customers? I'm not a fast food pricing expert but I am pretty sure it doesn't cost McDonald's more than $0.05 to make a large fry that they sell for $2.19 or whatever.



    You're thinking of the sodas.  The fries cost more than that.  The do make a killing on the drinks tho, you're right about that.  I know the cables cost more than $3.50 - they're probably twice that after all's said and done.  Still, a $29 selling price is extortion.  Give me the crappy knockoffs all day long.  I could care less how aesthetically pleasing the cable is.

  • Reply 40 of 73
    Lol to funny


    raptoroo7 wrote: »
    So it proves that Apple is gouging their customers.  Costs = $3.50 & Sell = $29.00 that is a pretty steep markup and is simply not justifiable under any circumstances.  We have no choice but to pay the ridiculous price since no one can make a true 3rd party cable.  Shameful Apple, simply SHAMEFUL.
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