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
Considering the positioning of nearly every firewire and usb port on every machine out there, Apple is overlooking a major point. Firewire is easier to plug in than USb when the person is not looking directly at it. EG. reaching around the back you cant often see the port, one would find FW much easier to plug in since its not symmetrical.
Apple give-ith, and Apple take-ith away. Too bad Mac users are no longer Apple’s target customer. You guys might bash PC users but now they are the one’s that keep Apple going. Cold hard fact…
Firewire is for daisy-chaining peer-to-peer networking. USB is for host-to-peripheral networking. The iPod can’t be daisy-chained and it acts like a peripheral to the Mac.
Apple still has big plans for firewire but it has to do with AV networking, not peripheral to host connections.
What was that bit about mapped function key on Mac and Windows key?!?
I agree with what MacBuddy and DudeMac:
“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”
Like I said in the other article about the minis, I think this is a TERRIBLE mistake: USB 2 is ungodly slow compared to FW, plus it sucks down a huge amount of processor cycles to work (and I’m running on a dual 2.5 GHz machine!).
Apple is, IMHO, making a terrible mistake here trying to shave a few $$ off the price and appeal to Windblows customers. Booo!
this may have been said, I didn’t read all the comments, but the reason the shuffle doesn’t have FireWire is it is 1/2 and 1 GB, not anything that USB 1.1 can’t handle…
I just came to your website to read an article. One of your sleazier advertisers has figured out how to bring up a popunder They’re hawking “spyware protection” and tell me I have problems on my C: drive. Funny, my Mac doesn’t have a C: drive.
You ought to be more selective about your advertisers.
Didn’t Apple originally force Windows users to buy the USB cable separately?
Just wanted to bring that up.
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Didn’t Apple originally force Windows users to buy the USB cable separately?
Just wanted to bring that up.
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Stereo audio tranfers really don’t require more than what USB has to offer and let’s not forget that Apple pushed the acceptance of USB over slower serial and parallel connectivity with the introduction of the iMac.
Firewire 800 will be ideal for transferring higher quality multimedia content. I’m sure when the time is right, this successor to the original firewire protocol will again place Apple’s technological advantages to the forefront. The real question would be what type of device would Apple create with a high lust factor that would start out as Mac only which would require a faster transfer rate than what USB 2.0 has to offer? The thing is only the Prosumer/Professional Macs come with Firewire 800 as standard.
OK, so Apple wanted to change the iPod’s icon as an elite machine and approach the least common denominator regarding financial ability and computing culture. Just because it saw that it was in a good position to pull a Dell out of it and compete with iRiver, Creative and the odd noname players.
One of iPod’s advantages over the competition is the superior connectivity of Firewire that Apple used to support and impose. IIRC it was the lack of compromises in architecture, design and performance that sold millions of iPods up today, not just ITMS. And that iPod’s success history is what is going to drive iShuffle sales. If you bring down the coolness and superiority of the hign end devices, iShuffle sales are going to take a hit because at this market it is a war Apple can not win.
And I don’t care if I sound emotional. I don’t buy from a company that I feel it doesn’t treat me as 1st class citizen. It’s my money.
Can’t we all just get along?
As a “switcher” I’m disappointed to see the strange way you Mac people take ownership in something you’ve NEVER had any say about in the past and will NEVER have any say about in the future.
Apple is a business, making THINGS for you to use. That’s it. Nothing else. Buy their STUFF or buy someone else’s STUFF.
I do however believe it’s OK to be in love with your THINGS. After all I do love my Apple products. Keep up the good work Apple.
After an initial disappointment with the news that USB 2.0 was the new standard connection for iPods, I’ve since come to realize a few things:
1) The demographics tell us that it’s the leading-edge Mac users buying iPods.. those that will eventually upgrade anyway, so they’ll have a computer with USB 2.0 eventually. No harm there.
2) PCs are “recycled” more frequently, and USB 2.0 has become standard on most (except, ironically, not on the low-end PCs).
3) This paves the way for FW800 to become the new standard.. it’s had to compete with FW400… no reason for two separate ports on our computers (since they have different connectors).
4) How many people have a need for two cables? Some do, but most don’t. Cuts down on waste.
5) Would be nice for Apple to offer a choice, but many people buying iPods are PC users that don’t have a clue, so why make it harder than it needs to be?
At the end of the day, the cost of adding an FW cable to a new iPod is still cheaper than buying an iPod a week ago that came with a FW cable in the box.
My disappointment has subsided.
I, too, am disappointed that Apple is giving up on firewire in this case. It’s quite obvious that it’s not going away; it’s a superior technology for A/V work, as well as for fast, reliable external HDs.
Still, though, the age of USB 2.0 has just dawned in the Mac world recently. While it might be a pain to offer two different boxes (one with USB 2.0, one with firewire), and the inventory control would be much more difficult, I still think it should be some sort of option. I don’t feel that we’re by any means “entitled” to it, but it would be nice.
And what of the AC adapter? I’m assuming the one that comes with the standard iPod/Special Edition is still a firewire-based adapter, but what about the iPod Photo? It comes with a USB 2.0 cable and an AC adapter. Does the AC adapter now have a USB port on its back instead of a firewire one? Now, if we buy a firewire cable, do we have to buy an extra AC adapter to match the cable?
I can understand dropping to USB 2.0 on the Mini, and it’s an obvious choice for the Shuffle. But if someone’s going to spend $450 on an iPod Photo, one would think that having a FireWire card is pretty likely.
It would be interesting, though, to see the differences in transfer time specifically with USB 2.0 and FW on a Mini, standard iPod, and Photo. (Also tested on both a Mac and a PC, since the Mac’s USB 2.0 implementation seems to leave a little to be desired).
While coming up with a sane response to Apple regarding the recent iPod decision, I poked out this. Read it thru’ – you may actually approve
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It’s been suggested that 80% of iPod owners are throwing out their FireWire cables. That would mean that 20% of iPod owners are throwing out their USB-2 cables.
The public are being told that Apple is reducing costs and passing on the savings to it’s iPod customers by not including the less ‘popular’ FireWire cable.
Some folks have suggested, that Apple reduce the ‘cost’ a further $20. They think that this massive waste could be ended if customers could choose which is appropriate at the point of purchase. (Thinking, an outfit like BestBuy or FutureShop will acknowledge that most of their customers will need the USB-2 cable and correctly manage to have supplies that cover those customers. Conversely thinking, a Mac retailer will acknowledge that most of their customers will need the FireWire cable and correctly manage to have supplies that cover those customers.)
Many feel that as a consumer product – leaving out a connectivity cable would inconvenience ALL iPod customers.
I think that the difficulty that some of your Apple iPod customers (20%?) are having reconciling this decision, is that they are ALSO your Apple Mac customers. The delemma they see – is this is a decision that negatively effects their (Apple) computer product, not positively effects a consumer product – even an Apple one.
Leaving out the (superior, Apple) FireWire cable now – in favor of the USB-2 cable might be prudent IF most Mac users had USB-2. Currently, most don’t. This probably would have been a non-issue if Apple had chosen to do this particular change 12-18 months from now.
As for today, do you think that a ‘FireWire-for-USB2-Cable-Walk-in-and-Trade-in’ program would work for your Mac customers that are also your iPod customers?