Apple obviously seems to be morphing the iPod family’s connectivity from FireWire-centric to USB-centric. The newest member of the iPod lineup, the iPod shuffle connects via USB 1.1 and 2.0 through integrated USB connector. Today’s latest iPod mini and iPod photo connects via USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 (with FireWire cable, sold separately) through Dock connector.
Only the older iPod Special Edition and iPod models seem to still come with FireWire connectivity (FireWire cable) out-of-the-box, featuring both USB 2.0 and FireWire 400. One guess is all it should take to figure out that the next iPod revision will probably not ship with a FireWire Cable and rely upon USB 2.0 instead.
FireWire was the original iPod’s only connection. Apple invented FireWire. You’d think Apple would use its iPod platform to expand FireWire’s reach, not diminish it. Unfortunately, most Wintel PC’s do not come with FireWire standard while all Macs do. It’s ironic that Apple feels they have to knife their own baby in favor of Intel-developed USB, which many consider to be inferior for data transfer compared to FireWire. If the iPod shuffle is any indication, soon FireWire connectivity for all iPods will be discontinued.
So, Mac + iPod users are in the interesting position of being considered second class citizens by Apple, the maker of the Macintosh no less, as Mac users are being forced to pay extra for the superior FireWire connectivity that our iPods would naturally utilize to connect to our Macs. Because more Windows users buy iPods than Mac users, the iPod’s connectivity is being dumbed down to match Wintel PC’s second-rate “standards.” Enjoy!
What’s next, Apple, building Windows key support into iTunes and forcing Mac users to use a mapped function key on their Mac keyboards?
Note to Apple: be very careful with your Mac users. Do not force Mac users into substandard “solutions” just because that’s what the majority of Wintel PC users happen to be stuck with or “tax” Mac users an extra $20 because we want to use the better, Apple-invented connectivity solution that’s built into our better, Apple-invented Mac computers. Apple, you should allow users to choose between FireWire or USB 2.0 cables at the point of purchase, at least at your online store. We Mac users have been treated as second class citizens for years from most other tech companies, do we now have to endure being treated that way by Apple, too? Remember the people that kept your company going for many bleak years. Mac users are watching what you do and how you treat us now very, very closely.
We have a message in to Apple and will update this article with any response they choose to give, if they do indeed choose to respond.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Apple should include a combo FireWire and USB 2.0 cable in every iPod box – February 24, 2005
Petition to Apple for iPod FireWire support posted online – February 23, 2005
Apple updates ‘iPod photo’ family with new slim 30GB model, debuts new iPod Camera Connector – February 23, 2005
Apple unveils new 6GB iPod mini for $249, 4GB model now priced at just $199 – February 23, 2005
What I said in the Board of Directors Meeting:
Who cares? They’re Mac users. They’re used to being charged more because they’re Mac users. so we’ll do it to them, too. We’ll make USB 2.0 standard – we have to accommodate our Wintel PC users who are buying the most iPods. Charge the Mac minority an extra $20 for the FireWire cable – they’ll pay it without a whimper. Oh, we invented FireWire? Must have been while I “was away.” Listen, nobody will notice that we’re mistreating Mac users and charging them extra to use the standard and superior built-in FireWire connectivity that we sold them. The Mac users will just pay it. We must consider the needs of our Wintel PC iPod buyers first and foremost.
Apple is fscking up due to their GREED. It is clear that Apple is mistreating Mac users here in favor of Wintel PC users. A Mac user scorned can be quite a dangerous animal. Be very afraid, Apple. Apple needs to reconsider and fix this obvious mistake ASAP.
I read through this posting for about 4 minutes before I realized that I’m sad and pathetic for spending 4 minutes reading about a wire.
Any news is fightin’ news for the Mac geek.
…and another thing. having two cords in the box just makes the product more complex. 1 ipod, 1 cd, 1 cord. Simple.
That’s why they have a 1 button mouse. Even though 2 is more pratical (in my opinion. I don’t complain when have to go out and by my Kensington.
It’s likely that FW800 would not result in faster transfers anyway. Those little drives ain’t that fast.
So the Shuffle was the beginning of “the end?”
Flash memory can’t transfer even AS fast as USB 2.0. So Firewire would have no advantage. Straight from Apple (Phil S. or somebody) re why the Shuffle takes more time to transfer one song.
What is the big friggin deal!!?? Did anybody notice that the iPods are cheaper?? And thinner?? The iPod does NOT need two connection options. Maybe… just maybe it was a purely business decision to cut overall costs?? And let’s not kid ourselves EVERY friggin computer now has some form of USB.
Get over yourselves people this isn’t about “screwing Mac users.”
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i bet you the “switch” to USB 2 has something to do with camera sync. AFAIK there is no CONSUMER digital still camera available that has FireWire. I believe that even the majority of pro digital cameras also have USB 2. FireWire is very good for transferring audio at a sustained rate, and for video transfers, which requires a stable throughput ( an area where USB2 sucks ), but for iTunes to iPod transfers, USB2 is fine.
Trust me, as long as there is iMovie, FCE, FCP, Shake, and Logic, Apple will not give up on FireWire.
I love how DudeMac implies that installing a FireWire card is just as simple and easy as buying a FireWire cable. ROTFLMAO.
Yeah, Dudemac is a moron.
Btw, the 1.8″ drives in the iPod is well below the speed of USB2 or FireWire.
The way I see it, most computers have USB 2.0. Macs have been offering USB 2.0 for the last few years. As long as USB 2.0 works just as well for transferring songs, why should anyone care?
I love my Macs and suggest them to many of my friends, but you have to know where to draw the line. I mean, please stop, take emotions out of the picture, and ask yourself:
– Does it REALLY matter?
– Aren’t there bigger issues out to spend your energy on?
Scoo
Jumping Christ in on a Pogo Stick, who CARES!
Don’t you people have more productive ways to spend your lives than playing armchair CEO and second-guessing every nitpicky little decision that Apple makes?
“Oh good god, I’m up in arms because one of the pixels on the little Apple icon in the menu bar looks like it was rendered premultiplied but composited with straight alpha!”
“Oooh, this little Apple device uses a serial connector that is only twice as fast as I need, rather than three times as fast as I need. Please let’s all sue Steve Jobs and his evil minions.”
Three words, Sheeple: Get. A. Life.
A nice gesture would be to offer a swap to those who want Firewire. Only those who know the difference would care to complain about it and getting the desired cable would be the adequate solution to the complaint. It is worth walking into your Apple store with your packaged USB cable and asking for a trade.
mike k.:
As stated before, USB2 is plenty fast enough for iPod transfers, despite FireWire’s technical superiority. In fact, I’ll bet you that , because of the slow drive in the iPod, FireWire transfer is no faster than USB2 transfer. Don’t assume that just because FireWire is the faster bus, that the transfer itself will be faster.
USB 2.0 vs. Firewire? Not the issue. I bought 500 shares at $19.56. It’s now at $87.96. That’s the issue. USB is not a compromise, its smart business. Thank you Mr. Jobs. I love my Mac. Now I even have a little extra cash for the new PowerBook.
Reis,
I know the feeling…500 at $14. Ain’t it sweet? Go Steve!
Why a half measure, if the idea is to lower the cost of iPod products – then remove BOTH cables.
Offer ALL models with no cables (zero) .
Have the customer purchase which is appropriate for their needs ON purchase of the iPod product. The retailers/orderhouses will either be efficient with their supplies, or lose out to those that are.
Maybe what’s bothering the Mac customers – or atleast those that prefer FireWire – is that they still must pay for the included USB2 cable – that they CHOOSE not to use (or can’t use), and then have to pay EXTRA to use their CHOICE (or ONLY option) of a FireWire cable.
How many here enjoyed buying a USB cable for their inkjet printers, when a serial/parallel cable was INCLUDED in the price? Exactly!
This is inefficient. Remove both cables.
MacBuddy has said it best. No one should be penalized because they can’t support the other peripheral!
1) Either both cables come as standard
2) Neither cable comes as standard
3) Make either cable an option at purchase time
Most Macs don’t have USB 2, so most Mac users would have to buy the FW cable, which sucks, especially since PC users can easily buy a $20 FireWire PCI card and install that. PCI cards are worth $20 bucks, peripheral cables however are not worth $20 bucks. If Apple sold them for $5 bucks, then no one would complain, though free would be better.
The replies here are indicative that Apple could not have pleased all its users all of the time. I for one have an extra USB cable that came with my mini that I would rather have had the cost savings. Apple is making financial decissions to stay ahead. The actually quality of the product did not go down nor really the cost per items included. The just offered the unit with or without charger.cable. It is a shell game, the pea is STIIL under one of the shells, just not the one you thought.
Apple was one of the first to use USB and of course pioneered Firewire. However, now all new Macs ship with USB 2.0, I think Apple is trying to push old Mac users to new Macs. Apple appears to be saying that USB is for general equipment and that firewire is for specialized equipment, video and external drives.
Well we’ll see if Apple puts firewire 800 in there entire lineup and eliminate Firewire 400. I think that is what they will do next.
“Apple appears to be saying that USB is for general equipment and that firewire is for specialized equipment, video and external drives.”
Er, stingerman, iPods are external drives, either hard drives or flash drives.
Apple screwed the pooch (and loyal Mac users) on this one.
all i have to say is that I will never, ever, ever update my ipod or mini using USB 2.0 instead of firewire. USB 2.0 is significantly slower and less reliable than firewire, I don’t care what the “specs” say and I don’t care how many PC fanboys post otherwise.
that said i think it’s fine that apple quit shipping 2 cables in every ipod box, that always seemed like a needless enviornmental hazard anyway, how many hundreds of thousands of FW/USB cables got thrown in the trash due to being redundant.
what Apple should do is offer Mac users a free firewire cable if they request it at time of purchase, or at least have them availabe for a nominal fee of $5 or $10.
With the $150 price reduction of iPod Photo models, you can buy a new fireware cable. They didn’t drop firewire support – you use your prexisting firewire cable or buy one for $20.
And the $50 price drop on the 4Gb mini more than covers the cost of a new cable.
I much prefer the 1 iPod, 1 cable simplicity. If both cables still came in the box I’d probably use firewire. But USB 2.0 works well for this application, and the firewire speed advantage isn’t worth $20 to me.
The worst thing is that you cannot boot into OSX from usb, but you can from firewire.
[how many hundreds of thousands of FW/USB cables got thrown in the trash due to being redundant.]
Zzz…,
Not to single you out. But, don’t people keep all the paraphenalia that came with their iPods considering the RESALE value of doing so.
If ‘I’ throw out my never-to-be-used USB2 cable, then I can ONLY sell my used iPod to a FireWire owner! That’s dumb.
89% of computer owners apparently use USB2.
This logic should extend to keeping BOTH cables, no?
And Apple – in an effort to reduce costs – should NOT include either cable.
MDN MagicWord: planning. I’m planning on keeping my useless USB2 cable to increase my chances of selling my used iPod.