Comments on: Universal Charger Initiative Announced... Absent iPhone

By: Luke

Luke — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:26:12 +0000

The EU has decided that per 2012 all mobile phones should be able to be charged with one adapter: an adapter with standard micro usb that uses standard usb voltage (5V).

As the iphone allready charges with 5v from USB, I suppose all Apple needs to do is supply a 30 pin dock to micro usb adapter.

Apple will not get rid of the 30 pin dock connector. That would render ALL ipod and iphone accessories.

By: icebike

icebike — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:21:52 +0000

Can USB even do all the things the 30pin can do?

I mean, look at the pin-outs: http://pinouts.ru/Devices/ipod_pinout.shtml

There is a lot of stuff there that would seem hard to stuff into 4 wires.

By: Frog

Frog — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:11:27 +0000

Why would Apple want to make all existing accessories and older iPods incompatible with new iPods! They'll keep the dock connector I suspect. It's likely any future changes from Apple would simply be to wireless, and they'll keep the dock connector until that became more common.

By: kyleshankles

kyleshankles — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:34:37 +0000

Sting7K: exactly. Apple won't change their proprietary charging port. Period. The only way they would is if were forced by EU. Then they would still put up this bitchy fight. All-in-all I like the 30-pin butmicro USB is still better. I previously owned a G1 (ughh) and one if the only things I liked was that no matter where I could charge my phone without having to buy expensive car or wall chargers. But this is another reason apple wouldn't approve this: it would serve them barely any revenue. Everyone owns a standard mini-USB (I hope) so buying a second would make no sense.

By: Sting7k

Sting7k — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:24:18 +0000

Does Apple ever do "Standard"? Don't count on seeing mini-USB ports on anything.

By: Rey

Rey — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:14:49 +0000

I actually thought it was great to keep the dock connector. I have several iPod cables I can use now because of it. I won't mind it being kept.

By: striatic

striatic — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:00:10 +0000

the actual connector isn't that big an issue. if forced by EU law, apple can always just ship iPods and iPhones with 30pin to miniUSB adapters, or switch over to miniUSB and provide dock adapters for vehicles and accessories built to the 30pin 'standard'.

the bigger issue is that Apple currently restricts which accessories can actually interact with their devices, extracting royalties from those that do. even if Apple puts out a 30pin to miniUSB adapter or switched to miniUSB it wouldn't mean much, because they still would control which devices and accessories would work with the iPod/phone.

The shape of the connector is practically irrelevant. The issue is whether accessories need to "sign in" or not, and whether Apple is going to give up their royalty collection business on accessories without the EU forcing them to.

By: Oobitsa

Oobitsa — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:28:59 +0000

I'd just assume that Apple stick with the 30 pin that they have been using with iPods since the beginning. There's a legacy of accessories (including cars!) that now offer this connector. Meanwhile, it is nice to see all of the old school cell phone manufactures getting their stuff together under the UCI.

By: rpv

rpv — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:05:15 +0000

i don't see it as a problem, all car manufactures have now 30 pin connector, ipod is defacto standard, it is much easier to carry around just two cables one microUSB and iphone