[ericmay]

> You can thank Apple for the Lightning connector

They did move to USB-C, but the lightning connector was actually a great product, far superior in usability to the Micro-USB, Mini-USB, and whatever other nonsense standards that existed. When Apple wanted to move to USB-C people complained about them "changing standards all the time". There really isn't a move that pleases everyone and even when they do the "right" thing people still complain lol.

> App Store too, for all the good it does everyone in the EU

The Apple App Store is pretty great. There's a large, vocal minority of folks that want changes there, but they also aren't the ones that have to deal with grandma and grandpa doing crazy stuff. If you want another App Store just by an Android phone since that's a feature they offer. Kind of like if I wanted a phone with a larger megapixel camera or something I'd buy something else.

[hnburnsy]

>lightning connector was actually a great product

Almost every Apple lighting cable in my household frayed...

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Repair+a+Frayed+Apple+Li...

>Apple charging cables, such as the Lightning to USB Cable, are easily prone to fraying. Most commonly, this fraying occurs from device usage while charging.

[thebigman433]

This has nothing to do with the plug though, its just the material they make their cables out of. Nothing is inherently different about USB-C that will stop this

[TheBicPen]

But the licensing fees effectively introduced a price floor onto lightning cables. Apple's implementation having issues is a problem because other manufacturers could produce a very cheap alternative, but they would be unable to sell it a low cost due to having to pay the licensing fees.

[saagarjha]

I have a grandma and grandpa and I deal with their devices directly. I’m want an iPhone that lets me do more and I can set up (with their consent, of course) a more limited experience for them. Their phones currently have purchases turned off, for example, because they have a set of apps they need and there’s no reason for new apps, because even with the App Store not all of them are actually good enough to have on their phones.

[bigyabai]

I've heard it all before, both of these are simple to refute. Apple designed the USB-C connector, they knew it was an option. But as is Apple tradition, they created a new licensed serial and power connector specifically for their phones to promote MFi, their arbitrary USB DRM. Apple could have switched to USB-C at any time; they had no issue shipping millions of peripherals and Macs with them onboard. But they didn't, because then they couldn't foist a proprietary standard onto their most lucrative submarket.

> If you want another App Store just by an Android phone since that's a feature they offer.

Sorry, this is bullshit. Alternative sources for installing software will always exist, even current iPhone users have to accept Cydia as an option. You don't ever have to leave the Apple App Store, but your preference has no right to enforce an artificial limitation onto other users. The Mac as a product would not exist without third-party software distribution, the iPhone is undeniably stifled by Apple's stance on the matter.

[mrlambchop]

Lightning development started in 2008 as I was there!

USB-C development started in 2012 (I was not there!), but from wiki, the ever helpful source of truth: "The design for the USB-C connector was initially developed in 2012 by Intel, HP Inc., Microsoft, and the USB Implementers Forum. The Type-C Specification 1.0 was published by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) on August 11, 2014.[1] In July 2016, it was adopted by the IEC as "IEC 62680-1-3".[3]"

I not sure of the logic here, but Lightning solved a problem way before USB-C existed and I'm sure, led to support of USB-C standards such as reversible connectors etc...

[riatin]

> You don't ever have to leave the Apple App Store, but your preference has no right to enforce an artificial limitation onto other users.

So... just buy an Android? This is not an artificial limitation, it's an express preference that the vast majority of iOS users have voted for.

> The Mac as a product would not exist without third-party software distribution

The Mac is a completely different product servicing a completely different set of needs. Nobody is asking for the iPhone to be able to run Node or Vim so they can do their work, they want to scroll Instagram and reply to their iMessage

[arvinsim]

Both your statements are just arbitrary You are not representative of all iPhone users.

[saagarjha]

Plenty of people are asking for that, actually. I suggest you look through the App Store for developer tools and report back what you find.

[riatin]

I'm sure if it was really that much of an unmet need, Apple would be jumping out of their skin to go and build it and thus rake in the billions of unrealised revenue that must be out there

But they're not, so I'm continue to assume they know what they're doing. Again, go buy an Android if that's what you want

[saagarjha]

You're sure that the company of "a thousand nos for every yes" is going to go out and make every single thing that people might possibly want?

[ericmay]

No... which is why they've been such a great company for so long.

[jahewson]

Apple did not design the USB-C connector, Intel did.