> On 24 Sep 2021, at 11:04 am, Karl Auer <[email protected]> wrote: > > On Fri, 2021-09-24 at 10:07 +1000, Roger Clarke wrote: >> [ But maybe it's a comprehension problem > > It's simple: Apple (and earlier, others) changed chargers every time a > new modem came out. It drove a huge ecosystem of spare and replacement > chargers which Apple took full advantage of.
This was true 10 years ago. Things have moved on since then. > The EU said "fix it - use the same plugs", and while there was a pretty > big shift to USB (micro and C), Apple ignored it. Not true: Apple has embraced USB-C for (some) new devices. > There was no way the EU was ever going to allow an Apple proprietary > connector to be the legislated standard, so USB-C it is. It can cope > with high current, bi-directional data,high-speed data - what's not to > love? Apple has a different view, and whilst I’m no apologist for their position, they claim that the EU ruling stifles innovation, and in any event, it’s quite possible that in the future, USB-C will not deliver what is needed for future devices. At present, on a technical level, USB-C offers higher throughput and higher power loads - if made to a standard. That standard is not well-policed, which has created a market for substandard and cheaper USB-C cables, in which the buyer may or may not get the functionality that is required for their device. Lightning has limitations (fast charging not supported, transfer speeds etc) but does have a ’security’ chip to identify that it is certified. Nonetheless, a proof of concept has shown that it’s possible to build nefarious other chips into the cable (wi-fi-enabled, too) to sniff keystrokes and other data - this is not limited to Lightning, but the proof focussed on Apple at the time. > BTW, no-one is saying devices cannot have *additional* cables for other > purposes. Just charging has to be via USB-C. But as it can do so much > more, it's a really good choice. For now, until we see a new standard. And hopefully with some backward compatibility. Warmly iT _______________________________________________ Link mailing list [email protected] https://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
