[GeekyBear]

Apple's charger already had a standard USB-A port and has moved to having a standard USB-C port.

It's the cable that they include with the iPhone that has a USB connector on the charger end and a lightning port on the phone end.

That included cable allows you to charge with any manufacturer's USB-C charger in the same way that the previous version of the cable worked with any USB-A charging port.

So, in summary, the cable Apple gives you works with other manufacturers chargers, and the charger Apple gives you works with other phones, using a standard USB-C cable that, I would imagine, came with the phone.

If they want to force Apple's hand specifically, they should be focusing on the port on the phone, not the charger.

[SiempreViernes]

> So, in summary, the cable Apple gives you works with other manufacturers chargers, and the charger Apple gives you works with other phones, using a standard USB-C cable that, I would imagine, came with the phone.

The point is you still need extra stuff just to charge your phone when you switch manufacturer. So what apple provides is in fact not a "common charger", but merely a transformer+rectifier that, using additional equipment, can be made into a "common charger".

[GeekyBear]

You don't need anything but the cable that came with your phone.

[monocasa]

Whereas the entire point of the regulation is to not need the cord that came with your phone, but to use anyone's. They got tired of all the proprietary connectors back in the feature phone days.

[ashildr]

So what specific kind of USB-C cable will be allowed to be packed with my next shiny for the decades to come? What kind of USB-PD will the phone be allowed to support and - if the phone supports a higher voltage/amperage combination than the EU fixed in 2020 - will I have to buy an additional cable to support this?

How did we ever switch from SCART to HDMI after the EU forced the TV manufacturers to only support SCART in 1996? Oh, it didn’t.

This is complete and utter nonsense. Apple’s powerplugs for iPhone/iPad only ever came with USB-A - or now with USB-C. They thankfully switched their lightning port before USB-C was even published, when everybody was still selling broken micro-USB or barrel connectors. There are many problems to solve, but Lightning isn’t one.

[nojvek]

Macs come with usb-c. Why can’t iPhones be also usb-c? I’m not sure I fully understand why everything in the world can’t be usb-c?

[shpx]

One day they might be, but they probably think switching now is too soon. Like the person above said, lightning came out before UBS-C. Apple switched from their long https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dock_connector#Apple_30-pin_... only 8 years ago. Everyone had to throw away their docks and charging cables. Now just 8 years later you want them to make everyone throw all those away again? Wikipedia says the 30 pin connector lasted from 2003 to 2014, so let people use the things they paid for a couple more years. Maybe Apple will come up with something better than USB-C in that time.

Lightning being a better connector than USB-C doesn't help.

[fastbeef]

The iPad pros are USB-C only, so I think it’s just a matter of time

[vineyardmike]

Because not everything should be USBC, and not everything needs to be USBC.

USB C won’t be the standard forever, and it’s a standard that takes many forms and has caused lots of confusion, so it’s not exactly the gold standard.

USB C isn’t forever, eventually USB D will come around, and what’ll happen? The EU and their (often targeted anti-American-tech) laws will hold phones back, or leave themselves out of the market.

[monocasa]

They had no problem allowing USB-C quickly, why would the next one be different?

[judge2020]

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22204605

[tokamak-teapot]

I thought it was to reduce materials waste from making and disposing of the chargers themselves.

[eanzenberg]

So they missed the boat by 15 years?

[bpfrh]

AFAIK that is the directive that that was already planned years ago.

I remember many years ago there was a new charger for each version(!) of a phone, so the EU said either the companies choose a common port voluntary or they will regulate them.

That was 2009 shortly after that every major phone provider switched to micro usb, except of course apple.

2014 the first regulation was voted and should have went in effect 2017.

[monocasa]

They passed this 15 years ago.

They gave apple the benefit of the doubt with the 30 pin connector and lightning that apple was going to make them standards, apple hasn't made that happen, so now the EU is saying they have to use an actual standard.

[GeekyBear]

If the cord was still hard wired into the charger like the old days, you would have a point, but this is supposedly about the chargers.

[monocasa]

The EU doesn't make a distinction between the cord and the transformer. And given their goals it doesn't really make sense for them to.

[GeekyBear]

If that is their intention, they certainly haven't made it clear.

[DangitBobby]

Aren't these cables notorious for fraying and breaking?

https://frayedlightningcables.tumblr.com/

Anecdotally, my friends' cables always seem to be frayed. I personally have not owned an apple phone in many years, but I recently bought an apple brand usb-c to 3.5mm adapter at an airport because that's all they had and I forgot mine at home... It stopped working after about a month of very gentle use. It's in perfect physical condition.

The point is, if you have to keep replacing them, it's not a reduction in e-waste and runs counter to the spirit of the ruling.

[tokamak-teapot]

I have about 6 lightning cables and only one has started to lose its rubber sheathing after years of abuse. We all have anecdata.

[djannzjkzxn]

Is this any better than the cables that come with non-Apple devices? I’m skeptical.

[DangitBobby]

I have the dongle that came with my phone, and I ordered a second of the same kind from the website. No issues with either of them. I've personally never broken a charging cable of any sort, except for micro USB where the little prongs stop latching properly. I may just be unusually careful with mine.

[Symbiote]

I check the electronic waste bin in my apartment building every so often, there's often something interesting I can try and fix.

There are always broken Apple charger cables. They don't have a rubber grommit on the end of the cables, so they wear out.

Android or PC laptop cables that are in the bin are usually in working order, with an obsolete device.

[riffraff]

I don't have a clue on how bad apple cables are, but I own a few micro USB cables for phones and Kindles that never frayed, so I don't think so.

The only cable that stopped working was one for a power bank I got as some marketing swag, and that's only because I bent the plug.

[vineyardmike]

Meanwhile, every other electronic that ships with USB C never requires extra stuff.

No extra stuff to connect to old devices, no extra stuff to connect to vide/displays, no extra stuff to connect to network connections, etc.

For a connector that was supposed to reduce electronic waste and simply connections, USB C has generated a lot of extra cables required.

[signal11]

> If they want to force Apple's hand specifically, they should be focusing on the port on the phone, not the charger.

It's worth remembering that the backers of the EU legislation started with the idea of reducing e-waste, not punishing a particular manufacturer. Nor is it a Lightning vs USB-C squabble.

Getting people to throw their lightning cables, charging ports, docking stations, etc away would be counter-productive to their aims. The Lightning port has been around for a long time and getting rid of that will cause significant e-waste.

[ern]

The Lightning port has been around for a long time and getting rid of that will cause significant e-waste.

From personal experience, Lightning already produces significant e-waste. The lack of strain relief means that my family experiences many broken Lightning cables each year.

[llampx]

That's not a Lightning thing, that's an Apple thing. Most of their cables suffer the same problem.

[FreakyT]

Right, but by using their own proprietary cable, Apple cables (and those officially “approved” by Apple) are the ones that get sold, and the terrible failure rates.

[HelloNurse]

We are talking about new devices, and possibly fines about old ones. Making iPhones with USB-C ports doesn't mean "throwing away" anything.

[PunksATawnyFill]

Strawman. That’s a one-time transition. And do Apple devices even come with chargers anymore?