“Who says Apple doesn’t listen? The electronics giant has tweaked the tech specs of its Lightning adapter (used to charge iPhones and iPads), meaning a recently-derailed Kickstarter project could go ahead after all,” Joe Svetlik reports for CNET.
“Apple will now allow its Lightning adapter to coexist with the older 30-pin adapter in the same accessory,” Svetlik reports. “‘Our technical specifications provide clear guidelines for developing accessories and they are available to MFi licensees for free,’ Apple spokesperson Tom Neumayr said. ‘We support accessories that integrate USB and Lightning connectors, but there were technical issues that prevented accessories from integrating 30-pin and Lightning connectors so our guidelines did not allow this.'”
Svetlik reports, “The guidelines have since been updated to allow accessories to feature both kinds of connector. The changes go into effect immediately.”
Read more in the full article here.
Very nice.
I bet Apple stipulated that the POP folks remove the Android charging feature.
You mean a USB plug? European Standards require mobile phones have to have a USB socket for charging. Remember when every phone had its own proprietary charger and connector? Imagine if each of your electrical appliances had a proprietary plug or if your wired or wireless networks used proprietary protocols. Expensive chaos!
My devices do all use proprietary cables… They’re all from Apple.
I bet Apple could care less.
This should have never been an issue. Having a more open roadmap, i.e. easing the transition from the old to the new plug for 3rd party mfg/users, is in Apple’s best interest.
it’s very Apple to be concerned with seemingly small details and to force others to adhere to their crazy standards. it’s a major differentiator that seperates Apple from so many other corporations.
True. And generally good. But not always.
Also separates them.
Round One of Lightening connect should have been free Lightening cable, Lightening adaptor to 30 pin connections, etc with all new iPhone 5 purchases no extra cost to ease transition. After that 5s, 6, etc. should be as it is today…
Cheap bastard! Buy a phone for $600 to $900, more or less, and whine about a $30 adaptor so you can use your old third party junk.
Elitist douche. iPod shuffle, nano and touch are not $600. And the majority of iPhone users paid contract prices starting at $199 (or less, for older iPhones like the 4 and 4S)
Even sooty have to pay sakes tax which on a 600 item is going to be over $50 then if you want insurance that’s another $100. After you add all that up an adapter isn’t that much.
Admittedly the transition period is a little bumpy but the old connector was fragile and huge and needed to be replaced to allow Apple to shrink down their hardware.
Mini USB while small is extremely flimsy and clunky, and its frozen in time where Lightening can adapt and carry Apple for the next 10 years.
I have a newer 4s iPhone. My comment was not about the pricing on Lighting adapters, cords, etc. My comment was about the PR for Apple during transition as many people were unhappy with all their third party iPhone friendly devices now being unusable or must pay for Lightening interfaces. PR for Apple as I suggested eases transition just first time today but future devices will need to purchase Lightening. Apple can afford this but most likely doesn’t want bad press for their decision regarding Lightening. Suggestion not complaint.
Lighting adapters-Lightening cable- Lightning.
Which one is it? Duh!
Whah.
I’ve been following this story since yesterday. My first reaction was that that charging $150 for a big, ugly, “charging station” had to be one of the worst business decisions that I had ever read about.
I’ve got half a dozen of the small, plug-in USB chargers around my house. Many have two USB charging ports. I can plug a lightning cable, a 30-pin iPhone/iPod cable or a mini USB cable into any of these and charge a variety of different devices, And, I’ve spent way, way less than $150.
We’ll see.
You’ve got “a half dozen” and you’ve spent “way less than $150? Please elaborate.
At even $20 each, that would cost at least $120. Is that considered “way less”?
I don’t disagree with the rest of your statement. 🙂
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10851&cs_id=1085102&p_id=8856&seq=1&format=1#largeimage
4 port for 6 bucks.
Rating: (2 out of 10) Reviewer: KK from Rancho Cucamonga, CA
11/30/2012 11:56:58 PM
Does not work with 3rd generation iPad
Pros: Saves plugs normally taken up by multiple ac adapters
Cons: Does not work with 3rd generation iPad when simultaneously charging other devices
In spite of the fact that one of the four ports is labeled as being “specifically designed for compatibility with the Apple iPad devices”, this charger will not supply sufficient power to charge a 3rd generation iPad while simultaneously charging other devices. What’s the point of that? The product description does make mention that the charger will output a “total” of 2.1A. However, it should be noted that this is not an insignificant detail. When attempting to charge the iPad and other devices, the iPad will beep continuously to signal insufficient power from the adapter.
by Monoprice Administrator
Hello,
Sorry about the charger not working for you need and it being more clear that when charging an iPad on the 2A plug no other device will be able to be charged simultaneously. This being due to the charging capacity required to charge the iPad however two iPhones wouldn’t be an issue. If you like I can issue an RMA for a return, I would just need an order number to get the process started. I will also speak with our Product Management Team, to see if this the description can be adjusted to reflect the above mentioned. Again my apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Sincerely
Tjayi Malone
Tech Support
by KK
Thanks Tjayi but it’s not worth my time to return the two chargers that I purchased. I’ll just use them to charge other things. I do think that the product description should be edited to emphasize this detail. I would also like to see this charger offered in a 6A or 8A version to be able to charge multiple iPads or 4 smartphones simultaneously.
Kurtis
by Monoprice Administrator
Hi Kurtis,
I understand and perhaps one day our Product Team can bring on board a higher amperage charger to support more than 1 iPad and multiple iPhones. Thank you again for your feedback and being a Monoprice customer.
Your review process is now finished. If you were satisfied with my assistance, you can always leave a testimonial at this link.
http://www.monoprice.com/home/testimonials.asp
You can also contact me directly at Tjayi.Malone@monoprice.com.
Thank you for your continued business, it is greatly appreciated!
Tjayi Malone
Tech Support
2 out of 10 stars because of an issue where the customer service was responsive and willing to refund the product? What a complete jerk. This sounds like the kind of person I would not want in my family, would not want as a friend, would not want to work with or for, and would not want to know at all.
In the meantime, the guys from that Kickstarter project can’t take back the FU’s he unleashed against Apple.
Apple never changed the “specs” of Lightning. MDN, why would your repeat such an incorrect headline?
If you want to get the full SP on the dirty dealings going on with this project and why Apple had a change of mind, read these two links from “The Verge”
http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/20/3789504/kickstarter-charger-pop-turns-to-competitor-to-process-refunds-apple
http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/21/3793488/apple-changes-iphone-accessory-guidelines-is-not-standing-in-the-way-of-pop-accessory
Or, as should have been the headline – “Stupid Kickstarter group NEGLECTS to contact Apple prior to issuing their project”.
How does Apple get a single bit of grief for have a policy and for the Kickstarter folks not checking. Seems like only good should be heaped on Apple for making an exception for a bunch of dopes.
This is great news. I’m a iexpander backer on kick starter. They are making a case that has a extended battery, sd memory, lightening to 30 pin connecter charging port so iPhone 5’s will still be able to use the 30 pinner’s, and a better flash. BUUUT still waiting on MFi.
The guy was not professional at all in the interviews he gave, throwing out expletives like candy to journalists. Looks like he goes off the rails at each and every obstacle, how will ever make a real life product that way I’m not sure.
All past experience he lists is making websites. In this story he was again plugging his new website (a kickstarter competitor) and claiming he needed to register all backers there under the pretence of refunding them.
I don’t think the backers will be very happy with the end product, but hey good luck with that.
Ride high with your own crown apple while you still can — like your top mangement wants it for the benefit of their very own stockholders (to be read as ‘not stakeholders’ as corporations would like to address when delivering any public statements, unless consuming public starts to be really taken into considerations on every major board decisions),
One day your crown will wear out through teh axe of a competitor, and by taht time comes teh apple rots away,,
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