Lightning strikes: Apple TV, Apple Pencil double down on proprietary port

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 79
    One of my regrets about my iPad 3 is that I'm stuck with the last iPad that uses the old & clumsy 32-pin connector. I'm not going to repeat that again. My next digital devices, laptop and tablet going to be USB-C. I have nothing against a Lightning connector. I like the one on my iPhone. But I'm growing tired of proprietary.
  • Reply 22 of 79
    I can't help thinking Apple really blew it with the male lightning connector on Apple Pencil. Why the hell would you put that connector on it and not the new Smart Connector? It would place the Apple Pencil in a great location for easy access. Instead the thing just juts straight out of the bottom of the iPad Pro while using up the port the iPad needs to charge itself.
  • Reply 23 of 79
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member

    Sticking the pencil lightning connector into the iPad seems like an accident looking for a place to happen.  Due to the leverage, I would have thought even what might seem a slight knock would be capable of snapping the connector.  Surely it would have been safer to provide a short flexible cable with male and female ends to charge the pencil with?

  • Reply 24 of 79
    cnocbui wrote: »
    Sticking the pencil lightning connector into the iPad seems like an accident looking for a place to happen.  Due to the leverage, I would have thought even what might seem a slight knock would be capable of snapping the connector.  Surely it would have been safer to provide a short flexible cable with male and female ends to charge the pencil with?

    I think it's intended for a quick charge of a dead pencil, so you can continue working. For a full charge, someone will sell a "Pencil Holder" (dock).
  • Reply 25 of 79
    I can't help thinking Apple really blew it with the male lightning connector on Apple Pencil. Why the hell would you put that connector on it and not the new Smart Connector? It would place the Apple Pencil in a great location for easy access. Instead the thing just juts straight out of the bottom of the iPad Pro while using up the port the iPad needs to charge itself.

    "Blew it."

    I hope so. Apple doesn't nothing half-assed. They either succeed or fail using their whole ass.
  • Reply 26 of 79
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    The announcement of the new reversible USB-C port, and its subsequent embrace by Apple in the 12-inch MacBook, led to speculation that the Lightning connector could be on the way out. 

     

    Although Lightning is not as fast as USB-C, it's still quite usable in an increasingly wireless world. With respect to the Retina MacBook, I'm certainly among those who think it would be a better product with two USB-C Ports. But in order to do that they would have to eliminate the 150 year old technology that is the single function audio headphone jack, currently occupying the only available space on the right side of the rMB. Considering Apple has already invested in an audio over lightning program, and several excellent headphones have been brought to market, I could see a future where Apple changes to Lightning only headphones across their product lines. Which means, a lightning connector could replace the existing headphone jack on the new MacBook -- albeit more limited than USB-C still perfectly serviceable. And considering the rumors are that the iPhone will get even slimmer, a trend that shows no sign of ebbing at Apple, and considering the headphone jack is the largest port on  Apple's iOS products, it's ripe for Apple to replace it. And by doing so, they would be reduced to one Lightning port. That's an Apple minimalist dream. And with the elimination of the headphone jack, no more single function ports on any of Apple's devices.

  • Reply 27 of 79
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mac_128 View Post

     

     

    Although Lightning is not as fast as USB-C, it's still quite usable in an increasingly wireless world. With respect to the Retina MacBook, I'm certainly among those who think it would be a better product with two USB-C Ports. But in order to do that they would have to eliminate the 150 year old technology that is the single function audio headphone jack, currently occupying the only available space on the right side of the rMB. Considering Apple has already invested in an audio over lightning program, and several excellent headphones have been brought to market, I could see a future where Apple changes to Lightning only headphones across their product lines. Which means, a lightning connector could replace the existing headphone jack on the new MacBook -- albeit more limited than USB-C still perfectly serviceable. And considering the rumors are that the iPhone will get even slimmer, a trend that shows no sign of ebbing at Apple, and considering the headphone jack is the largest port on  Apple's iOS products, it's ripe for Apple to replace it. And by doing so, they would be reduced to one Lightning port. That's an Apple minimalist dream. And with the elimination of the headphone jack, no more single function ports on any of Apple's devices.




    Along this same line of thinking, I wonder if Apple will allow headphones via the new ATV remote using the lightning port at some point? Or can one use Bluetooth headphones with the new ATV4?

  • Reply 28 of 79
    mac_128 wrote: »
    Although Lightning is not as fast as USB-C

    You know that USB-C is just a port interface standard, right? There is no reason why you can't get USB 3.0 speeds through a Lightning interface.
  • Reply 29 of 79
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by CustomTB View Post



    But the pencil has a male lightning so you will need a new female port for it. Is that included? Why no male on the pencil so we can plug it in on our existing chargers?



    you plug it into the iPad to charge.  15 seconds of charging charges enough for 30 minutes of use.

  • Reply 30 of 79
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by CustomTB View Post

    But the pencil has a male lightning so you will need a new female port for it. Is that included? Why no male on the pencil so we can plug it in on our existing chargers?

     

    I assume you meant "female" in the second sentence.  I asked the same question.  I assume that if Apple doesn't ship it, someone else will ship a Lightning-female-to-USB-A in order to allow charging from a computer or generic charger.

     

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Cash907 View Post

    Not moving to the much faster USB-C on the new IPad Pro was a silly choice that will ultimately hobble it as a professional tool. As someone who owns a 128 GB iPad Air 2, the restore process, as well as just transferring large photo and video files over the USB 2.0 based lightning connector, is painfully, annoyingly slow. It's the only thing I don't like about my Air 2, frankly.

     

    I wonder how fast Lightening can go.  Right now, Apple's been shipping USB2 cables with it, but it's a pretty flexible specification.  8 pins that can pretty much support anything the controller chip is ready to support.  So it wouldn't surprise me if we future version of Lightening (probably not in the iPad Pro or Apple would've mentioned it) will support USB3.0 or 3.0 or something else.

     

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by troehl View Post

    This way you can just plug the pencil into your iPad for a quick charge


     

    If "15 seconds for 30 minutes" is true in real life, then it's probably more than good enough.  Especially if you can leave it plugged in for a few minutes in the morning and have it run all day.

  • Reply 31 of 79
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismY View Post

    You know that USB-C is just a port interface standard, right? There is no reason why you can't get USB 3.0 speeds through a Lightning interface.

     

    Except that Apple hasn't actually released any product with this capability.  I agree that it should work in theory, but it's moot until Apple ships a device with the capability.

  • Reply 32 of 79
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post

     



    Nat that's a messy solution. They should have thought up an mag-inductive method of placing the remote down on the Apple TV during standby whereby the Apple TV would only charge it when it reached a certain level of battery to extent the life of the internal battery for a long time. All the user would need to do is get in the habit of leaving their remote on the Apple TV and Apple could take care of the rest.


    Disagree. Lightning is the best option as it allows you to plug it in and use it while charging. Any type of wireless would have negated that flexibility.

  • Reply 33 of 79
    shamino wrote: »
    Except that Apple hasn't actually released any product with this capability.  I agree that it should work in theory, but it's moot until Apple ships a device with the capability.

    It's not moot, because it depends on other HW being able to control USB 3.0 speeds to the NAND. You can't say "the NAND can't support USB 3.0 speeds, but magically could if Apple switched to a USB-C port on the iPhone." It simply doesn't work that way.
  • Reply 34 of 79

    Duh! Guess I should have my coffee before asking questions. Thanks

  • Reply 35 of 79
    Deleted.. Duplicate

  • Reply 36 of 79
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    customtb wrote: »
    But the pencil has a male lightning so you will need a new female port for it. Is that included? Why no female on the pencil so we can plug it in on our existing chargers?
    because the charge voltage may be different and an idiot may just blow up the pencil
  • Reply 37 of 79
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    solipsismy wrote: »
    Personally I would have loved to see USB-C on both of these. Or, perhaps, the Remote Control allowing inductive charing that can be done via the top of the new Apple TV, which would also allow for an optional stand in case your Apple TV isn't in a convenient location.
    I don't follow. You state Pencil has a male Lightning interface in the first sentence and then wonder why there is no male on the Pencil in the third.
    If that port does allow for power then it shouldn't be too long before a USB-C-to-USB-A adapter will be available.
    only if USB-C as addition. Otherwise existing users will cry like bitches.
  • Reply 38 of 79

    Good point but don't the other products self regulate? i.e. the iPad charger is more powerful but can still be used on a phone?

  • Reply 39 of 79

    @Cash907.  As someone who owns a 128 GB iPad Air 2, the restore process, as well as just transferring large photo and video files over the USB 2.0 based lightning connector, is painfully, annoyingly slow. It's the only thing I don't like about my Air 2, frankly.

     

    A few points.

    1.   Why blame Apple's lightning connector? I fully expect it is due to the speed of the much older USB part of the set-up, & not lightning.

    2.   New USB-C to lightning cables will come in due course given time. After-all, which USB port is currently most prolific, the new USB-C or the original USB (1 2 & 3) design?

    3.   You also will need to have a brand new Mac, or PC, etc with USB-C port/s to gain access to the faster speed it gives.

     

    (Other more technical / professional members here should be able to confirm the speed issue is due to the USB. If they haven't already)

     

    On the bright side, at least you don't have to put up with the even slower original USB 1 speed.

  • Reply 40 of 79
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    If the Siri remote end of the charging cable that is USB isn't a USB-C, it seems like they missed an opportunity to draw power from the USB-C port on the back of the ATV4 to recharge the Siri remote (via the cable), so the remote never wanders far from the STB (for charging).
    Sure...you sound like everyone will place ATV4 right in front and accessible. In fact most want to hide it behind the TV. So, USB-C charging is useless
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