[SwellJoe]

USB 3.0 is not an order of magnitude inferior to Lightning. As I understand it, the primary reason Lightning was chosen over micro USB was simply that the iPad needs more power than micro USB is specified to provide. That kind of thing can be resolved in the two years we have before this has to go into effect.

I'm always on the side of standard connections. Which is one of several reasons I never choose Apple products. Having it imposed by law feels vaguely wrong, but Apple's behavior (on this front, and several others) also feels vaguely wrong to me.

[fleitz]

I'm usually for standards however in the case of apple, it's basically it's own standard and in the case of MagSafe far superior.

[dingaling]

Magnetic power connectors are clever, but were standard on rice cookers for a couple of decades before Apple adopted them. Not really 'theirs'.

[klausa]

>USB 3.0 is not an order of magnitude inferior to Lightning.

USB 3.0 micro plug is order of magnitude inferior to Lightning in arguably the most important part - experience of plugging and unplugging, which you'll do at least twice a day.

Until we can survive on wireless power, I'll take reversible Lightning over that ridiculous oversized Micro-B USB 3.0 (even the name is ridiculous) plug any day.

[nwh]

Don't hold your breath, "wireless" power is ridiculously inefficient even at extremely short distances. You might as well just use a good plug.

[MBCook]

> As I understand it, the primary reason Lightning was chosen over micro USB was simply that the iPad needs more power than micro USB is specified to provide.

I don't think that's the case. First, they were coming off the older 30-pin dock connector. Second, the connector needs to do far more than just syncing and charging. It's also used for video out, audio out, sensor input, and who knows what other future updates. Apple designed Lightning to be very flexible for future use.

Honestly I don't believe that if USB 3 was more common Apple would have gone with it.