“Apple may be shipping a new Lightning cable that features a reversible USB connector with forthcoming iOS devices, reports Chinese website Dianxinshouji.com,” Richard Padilla reports for MacRumors.
“The source shares a few photos of the new cables said to be from Apple supplier Foxconn, with the images showing a USB connector that is attached to the center of its metal casing,” Padilla reports. “By comparison, the USB connector on Apple’s current Lightning cable attach against the bottom of the metal housing’s inner surface.”
“As revealed last week by the USB 3.0 Promoter Group, the USB 3.1 Type-C cable comes with reversible ends and will start shipping next year,” Padilla reports. “An Apple patent for a reversible USB connector also surfaced last month, perhaps further indicating that the company will look to equip its newer devices with new Lightning cables at some point. ”
Read more and see the photos in the full article here.
Dont think so !
U cant just change the plug and make it reversible .. The port has to also a accommodate that.
And if apple makes this exclusive to apple… Then there will be incompatibility with other devises with regular usb ports… Like car chargers .. Etc.
That’s the beauty of engineering, and it’s a great idea.
If you look at the photos, the “connectors” are connected to a much thinner piece of plastic. If they can make the plastic strong enough and keep the plug the same size, then it can work.
When Apple created the lightning connector they put a smart chip inside that allows the pins to switch instantly based on how it’s inserted. There is no reason they couldn’t apply this to USB cable so that the cable itself can fit into any port and the pins will update as needed based on the orientation.
The plug is the same size as every other USB, but the plastic and pins are much thinner.
I think it could work and that would make that end of the cable compatible to fit in any USB port upside down or not and it would work just fine.
There’s a reason Apple patented it. Only apple will be able to take this approach on their USB cables. While the port on the computer isn’t changing, just the cables apple sells are. It doesn’t mean however they won’t license it to other manufacturer’s. They’ll just make sure they are not manufacturing cables for Samsung devices 🙂
Just to be clear, the chip that switches pins that I was talking about is inside the cable, not inside the port. Essentially, it’s a smart cable.
The real story is more likely that Apple is going to implement the upcoming USB Type C connector (not physically compatible with prior USB, but supporting the latest USB3 standard). It is reported to be slimmer, reversible like Lightning, and able to FINALLY offer the power that Firewire did.
http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=HR.139034434883
They really need to get rid of “charging cables” altogether! It’s so 1999!
Could be just me. But I like to charge my phone so it can be used, you know. Hence the need for cables to charge them with.
You know there are ways to charge without using a cable.
Wifi Charging for example or induction charging via a mat. No cables required.
http://www.zdnet.com/intel-pushes-industry-to-cut-the-cables-7000031131/
I stopped charging my phone months ago. It was such a PITA!
the added benefit is:
1 Fewer phone calls
2 No annoying texts
Can’t innovate … my ass!
What a load of sticking headline bait rubbish. The photos don’t show the USB-C reversible plug, this has nothing to do with it.
Of course they don’t. The headline nor the article mention that this is a USB-C cable. It shows a new USB Type A connector that has been modified to possibly be reversible in USB 2 and USB 3 ports. The article mentions that this new reversible USB 2 and USB 3 cable comes on the heels of the announcement of USB C reversible cable.
Make a cable that I can also plug a usb thumb drive into so I can transfer files to/from my iPhone or iPad then I will be interested Apple.
On your next upgrade for your iPhone and/or iPad you will get airdrop, no need for a cable. I need to upgrade too, I’m not trying to be a bitch about it. Connecting a cable and USB drive twice is more of a pain than using a Mac or Dropbox workaround.
You can’t airdrop files from a USB thumb drive or any HDD drive thats common in the home or work place. Airdrop is not as useful as being able to plug in a usb drive to transfer files.
Airdrop is also only available on IOS and OSX so transferring files to other computers/devices needs a USB access point on our iDevices.
Someday Apple will get it that we need a file system and USB access on our iDevices then IOS will become more productive and more useful. Oh well roll on IOS 9,10,11 hum 🙂