EU lawmakers snub Apple's pleas, overwhelmingly vote to push for charging cable standard

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 118
    While I understand the goal and reducing waste, it does sound like this decision could reduce innovation. Apple switched to the lightning port because USB wasn't good enough to meet their strict design goals. How will the industry ever move beyond whatever "standard" they require? We haven't done a good job in the US getting rid of the QWERTY keyboard nor have we been able to transition to the metric system because we standardized on something that once ingrained is nearly impossible to change.

    Should we all standardize on using the same exact keyboard (no French layout and German layout and English layout)? or the same types of screens? or the same types of processors? or the same types of materials? or the same shape (so it could fit into a common shelf)?


  • Reply 22 of 118
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    daven said:
    Am I missing something here? All phones can charge via usb. The only difference between them is the cord from the usb charger to the device which gets replaced fairly often because of fraying. 
    my thoughts also.

    Apple’s chargers are usb, the charger is standard. What is the wailing about from all corners. nothing is going to change.
    They're talking about the connector to the device.
  • Reply 23 of 118
    ktappektappe Posts: 823member
    sflocal said:

    I think the Lightning connector is superior for a mobile device than even USBc.  Lightning is durable, very solid, and not prone to being damaged, whereas USBc - and the female port - is a bit more delicate.  

    Actually the exact opposite is true. Lightning requires there be a chip in the cable. Those chips are prone to burnout from heat and voltage spikes. Lightning cables that last a month before dying are beyond cliche. Meanwhile I've never had a USB-C cable go bad.

    But the biggest flaw in Apple's argument is *they already use USB-C*.... on the iPad Pro!  WTF is their problem migrating the rest of their product line to USB-C?
  • Reply 24 of 118
    silvergold84silvergold84 Posts: 107unconfirmed, member
    Europe is a joke. They try to make protectionism but there is nothing to protect over there. Old diesel about cars, simply android smartphones about technology, that lost the game against Chinese and Korean competitors. If they want to change something about Apple products into some kind of europe version, I hope Trump will take actions against them. Old stupid europe
  • Reply 25 of 118
    ktappektappe Posts: 823member
    apple ][ said:
    the dictatorship known as the EU
    Considering half the US government is defending their "a president can do no wrong" leader at all costs and in spite of all logic and law, much like a king, you might not want to be casting this stone from the glass house in which you live.

    The EU is not needed and is not relevant in the big scheme of things.
    The EU is larger than the US. You might want to learn of what you speak before you post.
    fastasleepJustSomeGuy1baconstangchiamuthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 26 of 118
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    ktappe said:
    apple ][ said:
    the dictatorship known as the EU
    Considering half the US government is defending their "a president can do no wrong" leader at all costs and in spite of all logic and law, much like a king, you might not want to be casting this stone from the glass house in which you live.

    The EU is not needed and is not relevant in the big scheme of things.
    The EU is larger than the US. You might want to learn of what you speak before you post.
    Trump has done nothing wrong and will be just fine from the hoax impeachment. Nothing will come of it.

    And larger in terms of people does not mean more important.
  • Reply 27 of 118
    silvergold84silvergold84 Posts: 107unconfirmed, member
    lkrupp said:
    So whatever these idiots decide is the “standard” Apple just makes and adapter tp convert it to Lighting. Mic drops. And after the charging port, then what? Screen size, resolution, features. What if they standardize on Android. Don’t laugh. You never know what bureaucrats will do in the name of the people.
    Especially in Europe , they are complete ignorant about technology and they are thieves about taxes ecc. 
    apple ][
  • Reply 28 of 118
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member

    apple ][ said:
    The EU is not needed and is not relevant in the big scheme of things.
    Absolutely incredible — that's 28 European countries and over 500 million people (or 7% of the world population) you're talking about. You can't possibly be serious.
    28 includes the UK, so it's actually only 27 now. And it's less than 500 million people since the UK has taken their 66 million people and withdrawn.

    I imagine that they wont be the last to leave and more will follow in the time to come.
    seanjelijahg
  • Reply 29 of 118
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    apple ][ said:
    ktappe said:
    apple ][ said:
    the dictatorship known as the EU
    Considering half the US government is defending their "a president can do no wrong" leader at all costs and in spite of all logic and law, much like a king, you might not want to be casting this stone from the glass house in which you live.

    The EU is not needed and is not relevant in the big scheme of things.
    The EU is larger than the US. You might want to learn of what you speak before you post.
    Trump has done nothing wrong and will be just fine from the hoax impeachment. Nothing will come of it.

    And larger in terms of people does not mean more important.
    There's that charming jingoism again.
    baconstangmuthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 30 of 118
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    lkrupp said:
    So whatever these idiots decide is the “standard” Apple just makes and adapter tp convert it to Lighting. Mic drops. And after the charging port, then what? Screen size, resolution, features. What if they standardize on Android. Don’t laugh. You never know what bureaucrats will do in the name of the people.
    Especially in Europe , they are complete ignorant about technology and they are thieves about taxes ecc. 
    They like doing things in the name of the "people" over there.

    There was this failed artist with a mustache who was behind a people's car over there too.

    They always have lots of great ideas over there. I trust the EU about as much as I trust that failed artist with the dumb looking mustache.
  • Reply 31 of 118
    Unreasonable laws keeping you down? Raise prices!
  • Reply 32 of 118
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,564member
    There are so many devices in every home that do (or could) run on DC power that perhaps building codes should be modified to provide DC power at every power outlet and this would ELIMINATE the need for AC/DC power converters for every future and existing device. But I forgot, that would require common sense.
  • Reply 33 of 118
    mac_dogmac_dog Posts: 1,069member
    elijahg said:
    If you stand on the cable near the plug, the prongs can snap off and leave live prongs stuck out.
    Who stands on their charging cable? Ridiculous comment. 
    baconstangJWSC
  • Reply 34 of 118
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,273member
    In the end Apple was probably going have to move to the USB-C form factor eventually anyway, so provided the EU mandates that standard (alongside the existing wireless standard of Qi charging) I don't see this as a huge deal (other than the e-waste generated by having to move to it, which would affect both Apple and most other models of smartphones/tablets).

    The bigger problem here is that some company (likely Apple) will invent a far superior standard in 10 years or so time, and the EU will need at least 12 years to debate about it before changing the standard yet again (it has, as the article states, taken them six years just to get to a vote on the matter). So, bottom line is I don't like it, but anything that moves micro-USB closer to extinction I strongly support. :)
    baconstangfastasleepJWSCGG1
  • Reply 35 of 118
    croprcropr Posts: 1,122member

    The new standard can’t just be USBc because it’s inferior to Lightning.

    That's why USB-C is to used to charge an IPad Pro and a Macbook Pro, or am I missing something?     If Apple would have a consistent approach to chargers, their argument would stick.   

    Now it is so obvious that Apple is just interested in selling million and million proprietary Lightning cables
  • Reply 36 of 118

    hoodjd73 said:
    Just eliminate the charging port and go completely wireless. Problem solved. 
    Or as another said, just ship adaptors with EU-destined phones. Customers will be happy as they can choose. The EU can’t blame Apple so Apple is happy. Those of us in other countries are happy as we don’t have to change until necessary. Eventually everything will be wireless. I’m looking forward to distance wireless charging. 
  • Reply 37 of 118
    croprcropr Posts: 1,122member
    This is a typical protectionist action by EU parliamentarians. The Brits are lucky to have been able to escape from this heavy handed tactic.
    But the British members of European parliament voted in favor, so I am expecting this law will also be adapted by the UK.
    tenthousandthingsshamino
  • Reply 38 of 118
    If the EU can "help" Apple to become consistent in their plugging, it probably does not hurt anyone. 

    Europe has about 755 million people of which 465 million will be inside the EU zone after the UK leaves. EU standardization like this tend to spill into the entire European market fast. That will also include the UK, as the UK don't have any mobile phone industry of their own, they basically just have to accept the EU standard. 

    edited January 2020
  • Reply 39 of 118
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,622member
    sflocal said:
    The EU should probably require all other electronic devices - from electric razors, battery chargers, etc... to all require USBc instead of proprietary ac-adapters before getting on Apple's case.

    Last time I checked... the EU decided micro USB was the best, which was actually the worst, most flimsy connection every.  I'm curious to see how Apple will respond to this.

    I think the Lightning connector is superior for a mobile device than even USBc.  Lightning is durable, very solid, and not prone to being damaged, whereas USBc - and the female port - is a bit more delicate.  

    That being said, I think Lightning came out when it did because USBc was not developed yet and Apple needed a replacement for their legacy 30-pin plug.  A part of me would like everything to be standardized to USBc as it would make my cable-management that much easier.  Just about everything else I use has been migrated to USBc now.
    It is clear you haven't read any of the documentation. The proposal doesn't target solely Apple or mobile phones. It targets a lot of device types. In reality, it is doing what you say it should do.

    Micro USB - at the time - was a valid alternative and has largely been a success story when looking at the problems back then. It was the industry that settled on that following some nudging by the EU to avoid each manufacturer from from trying to lock customers in to their own hard wired connectors.
    tenthousandthings
  • Reply 40 of 118
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,622member
    lkrupp said:
    So whatever these idiots decide is the “standard” Apple just makes and adapter tp convert it to Lighting. Mic drops. And after the charging port, then what? Screen size, resolution, features. What if they standardize on Android. Don’t laugh. You never know what bureaucrats will do in the name of the people.
    You haven't read the documentation, have you?
    tenthousandthingsmuthuk_vanalingam
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