mac_128

gatorguy said:

Question for everyone here.

Has any AI member ever had anyone other than a  nosy boyfriend-girlfriend/spouse/ child try to break into their iPhone? Ever?

It seems like such an unlikely scenario where anyone is going to try to break into your phone that all this hand-wringing I see here coupled with inconvincing yourself with all these long creative passcodes doesn't seem worth it. A simple 6 digit passcode is all that almost anyone needs IMHO. 

If it’s so unlikely, why have a password at all then? I’m concerned about that one occasion where I’m venerable to someone who steals iPhones for the express purpose of mining data from them with these tools, or even just being able to break in and effectively wipe it for resale. I want my phone to be as unappealing to someone as possible, if only to prevent the inconvenience the theft would cause — but I certainly don’t want to add pain to misery as I worry whether they’ll also be able to recover something that turns out to make the theft a much more complex problem for me down the line. It’s peace of mind.

I have airbags on my car that I’ve never used in over a decade even after being in a few fender benders. It’s unlikely I will ever need them, but I sure do prefer the security of knowing they are there, than run the risk of further injury if the unlikely happens.

chasm said:

I like attaching a superior microphone to the lighting port for easy yet higher-quality recordings. A lot of what people are complaining about above could eventually be accomplished wirelessly, including my preferred use case, but while I'm normally a fan of innovation I think this one may be an idea that needs to percolate for another few years. On the other hand, the Smart Connector is technically a wireless connector, so ... maybe we're just interpreting this incorrectly.

While I agree, one major thing that wireless won’t be able to address for a while is how you use it. A wireless microphone is bad for any critical applications like multi track recording, or syncing to video. Another major use is powering external peripherals. That goes away immediately. There will likely always need to be some kind of physical connection or risk losing functionality of the device.

jkichline said:

You can’t charge your phone while using it without a Lightning or other connector. My wife has an iPhone X with wireless charging and at least twice a week her phone isn’t charged. It’s dumb. It requires a flat surface. It falls off. You can’t send high-res video or multi-channel audio... it would be assinine to remove it. Work on giving us complete wireless functionality first, and then when we no longer need wires, remove it.

This is a first generation kind of thing in my opinion. There’s probably a way to attach a pad with magnets now, but nobody’s bothered to design one. Short of that, there are iPhone cases which put a built-in pad in contact with a puck, but the ones I’ve seen are proprietary. Apple hasn’t managed to even get an OEM pad to market a year after they offered the technology. My guess is they have a few  cool options up their sleeves, which will show up when the Lightning jack is removed, if not before.

I have an HDMI adapter for my iPhone, but I rarely use it anymore. I can Cast HD video to almost any Smart TV, or via AirPlay to any Apple TV, and prefer that method. But you raise a good point ... while likely fast enough for USB 2.0 data, I’m not sure whether something like a SmartConnector would be enough to handle HD video.

GG1 said:

mac_128 said:

AppleInsider said:
Lightning is used for more than just charging. It is used for quick backups to a tethered computer and for some peripheral connections, like speaker docks.
Importantly, it is also used to do software reinstalls on a recalcitrant device. 
There are SD-card adapters, iOS device to television connectors, speaker docks, and a whole host of other peripherals that rely on the connector. And, there is talk that USB-C is on the horizon for the iPhone at some point.
And, wired CarPlay is only just now really starting to take hold. Wireless CarPlay is still the odd-man out.

I completely disagree with this editorial. 

If Apple removes the Lightning port, they definitely won't replace it with USB-C. A more logical approach would be something like a SmartConnector, which should be able to handle the current Lightning standard of USB 2.0 speeds. Yes it means another dongle/adaptor, but for most, wireless charging will be the reward. Further, as Wifi, AirDrop, AirPlay, and BT technologies become even more robust, wireless is going to be far more preferable way to connect than wires in most cases. Wireless is already technically far faster than the current USB 2.0 standard the phone is using. But I also think Apple won't abandon a way to physically connect, at least to maintain the current standard. But they're not going to make it any easier, or a preferable alternative that detracts from their forward thinking, and IMO correct goal to eliminate all wires on a mobile device.

You mentioned in post #29 above to use a magnetic charging puck. But what of the connection for digital signals? Does a SmartConnector (your words) need to be a direct electrical connection? Why not optical? Much like an optical SPDIF cable? If the charging puck is self-centering (like on the Apple Watch), you can put the optical cable in the center (over a lens in the iPhone case), obviating the need for a direct electrical connection receptacle. An optical transceiver/translator chip is needed on both ends (inside the iPhone and in the cable), but this is hardly rocket science.

A Smart Connector type solution could also be used for charging as it powers the keyboard now, eliminating the need for a puck, though I'd still prefer it for an option -- I don't think most people using a mobile phone really need to carry a data cable around with them.

Optical is an interesting proposition, and as I understand it, optical could also deliver power. Regardless, without an extra case, any optical data connector would need a port of some kind, or some kind of magnetic attachment to position it over the receiver. That reminds me a little of my old Palm with its IR port. But sure, that would remove any data transfer limitations. Though I doubt it would be as inexpensive as the SmartConnector, which simply adapts electrical impulses to another connector.

AppleInsider said:
Lightning is used for more than just charging. It is used for quick backups to a tethered computer and for some peripheral connections, like speaker docks.
Importantly, it is also used to do software reinstalls on a recalcitrant device. 
There are SD-card adapters, iOS device to television connectors, speaker docks, and a whole host of other peripherals that rely on the connector. And, there is talk that USB-C is on the horizon for the iPhone at some point.
And, wired CarPlay is only just now really starting to take hold. Wireless CarPlay is still the odd-man out.

I completely disagree with this editorial. 

If Apple removes the Lightning port, they definitely won't replace it with USB-C. A more logical approach would be something like a SmartConnector, which should be able to handle the current Lightning standard of USB 2.0 speeds. Yes it means another dongle/adaptor, but for most, wireless charging will be the reward. Further, as Wifi, AirDrop, AirPlay, and BT technologies become even more robust, wireless is going to be far more preferable way to connect than wires in most cases. Wireless is already technically far faster than the current USB 2.0 standard the phone is using. But I also think Apple won't abandon a way to physically connect, at least to maintain the current standard. But they're not going to make it any easier, or a preferable alternative that detracts from their forward thinking, and IMO correct goal to eliminate all wires on a mobile device.

volcan said:

mike1 said:
Amazing how some people just can't visualize a use case that's not their own.

I am pretty sure that close to 100% of people who travel want to charge with a cable because there is nowhere to place a charging mat in the terminal or the plane or a restaurant, or a limo and you can't use the phone if it is on a mat. That is tens of millions of people every day that have the same use case as me.

With all due respect, you aren't thinking fourth dimensionally (as Doc Brown would say). When Apple switched from the 30-pin dock connector to Lightning, if someone forgot their Lightning cable while in any of those situations you describe, they would have been just as out of luck. Eventually all of those locations ended up having Lightning cables to provide that service, whether you lost or forgot your own. 

Starbucks have had charging mats at many locations for years, and with purchase an iPhone user could borrow a 30-pin wireless charging adapter to use with their phone such that they could continue using their phone as it charges. Even as we type back and forth on this forum, Starbucks is upgrading to the QI standard which Android has been using for years, and Airport charging bars are getting on board the bandwagon as well. Add to that, charging mats aren't the only solution. I presume you're aware of the Apple Watch? If Apple drops the Lightning port, I'd expect them to offer an alternative to the current wireless charging method -- essentially a magnetic puck that attached to the back to allow using the phone while charging, without an awkward pad. Something like the SmartConnector would serve this purpose well. Yes it might require an additional adapter for some purposes, but essentially this move would not ultimately inconvenience you any more than the switch to Lightning. In fact, as the rest of the world steps up to the QI plate, it's likely to make your life a lot easier.