“FireWire is still Apple Computer’s baby, but the proud parent is cutting the cord. With the latest crop of iPods, Apple is no longer including a FireWire cable in the box. The music players will still work with FireWire, if a cord is purchased separately, but only a USB 2.0 cable comes with the device. The move is part of a gradual shift on Apple’s part to standardize the iPod on USB, which is far more common in the Windows world,” Ina Fried reports for CNET News.
MacDailyNews Take: Is “cutting the cord” or “knifing the baby” more appropriate to use when describing the situation?
“Although Apple’s embrace has been gradual over several years, it is still a big shift for a company that helped develop the standard behind FireWire, technically known as IEEE 1394, and has been one of its biggest proponents,” Fried reports. “Some Mac owners were rankled by the move, saying that as recently as a year or two ago many Macs didn’t include a USB 2.0 port. As of Wednesday night, more than 1,300 people had signed an online petition calling on Apple to again include a FireWire cable with iPods.”
“When the iPod debuted in 2001, it used only FireWire, and even the second crop of iPods–the first to support Windows–lacked USB support entirely. It wasn’t until April 2003, with the dock connector-based iPods, that Apple first offered a USB 2.0 option. And then it was USB 2.0, which had to be bought separately as a $19 extra,” Fried reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The Apple iPod boxes used to read “Mac+PC.” Apple iPod boxes now read “PC+Mac.” Mac users ought to be able to “do the math” and get used to being treated by Apple as second class iPod users from here on out. Shareholders should be happy that Apple has a “money talks” attitude. Mac users, especially long-time Mac users, should be wary. Unless your Mac is less than 1 or 2 years old, you’ll have FireWire ports, but only USB 1.1 which transfers files much more slowly than USB 2.0 and does not carry enough power to charge an iPod. (And, by the way, even USB 2.0 can’t compare to FireWire 400 for sustained data transfer rates). Apple’s attitude toward most Mac users seems to be, “you’re in the minority, go buy the extra cord” or the usual “go buy a new Mac.” Getting “taxed” by Apple for being a Mac user really rubs us the wrong way. And exactly whose fault is it that we’re in the damn minority anyway?
What do we want from Apple? Respect for Mac users. In fact, we want better, we want preferential treatment for Mac users; it’s well-deserved. We also want Apple to provide to consumers the choice between a FireWire or USB 2.0 connectivity cable from (at least) the online Apple Store at the time of purchase for no extra charge. It’s not the lousy twenty bucks, it’s the principle. Do the right thing, Apple.
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 knifing its own FireWire baby by pushing USB 2.0 as iPod’s primary connectivity option – February 23, 2005
True. The average PC users has always paid less than the average Mac user for everything.
Buy a PC.
This continuing thread shows just how whiney, bitchy, and self centered some Mac users can unfortunately be. The latest iPod release from Apple and in fact much of their activities with iTunes/iPod recently is about one thing, and one thing only.
Selling more iPods.
It has nothing to do with “cutting the cord”, “knifing the baby”, getting “taxed” by Apple for being a Mac user, or forcing Mac users into substandard ‘solutions’. It’s about selling as many iPods as possible, and that’s exactly what Apple needs to be doing. I applaud them for that.
Here’s a look at the bigger picture.. Peel away all the layers of bullshit from the digitial music world, and you’re left with the core of what’s at stake..
Digital music format, and who owns it.
Apple is currently in a fight to the death with Microsoft over digital music format, and Apple must win that war. It’s far from over, and every iPod sold is another nail in wma’s coffin. Apple needs to sell as many freakin’ iPods as they can, and as soon as they can. The longer wma hangs around, the more likely that it will prevail in the end. Everything Apple has done lately with iPod and iTunes is to drive their current advantage to total victory.
Yes, the latest move is directed squarely at Windows users. It’s what Apple has to do to win the war against Microsoft. Get over it.
Magic word is “like”, as in “like get a clue”.
The real shitty part is that Apple was *two years* behind the curve on USB2, trying to push FW as hard as possible.
Now, the people with that generation of machines — who, had they bought a PC at the same time would have had USB2 — will have to pay the extra $20 to have a useful iPod.
That sucks. And once again, it’s not about the cost — it’s about the respect to your loyal customers and the BETTER technology.
Those of you whining about the whining: I am not on Apple’s board of directors. I am a customer and want Apple to product products I wish to buy. With the iPod, they have taken a step backwards and made it less appealing to me. So it is my right to whine, and if there are enough customers like me perhaps they will change their position.
Why should I, the customer, forgive Apple for charging me more? You expect more from me than a PC users, somehow. They, of course, won’t put up with paying extra for a cable. Well guess what, I’m a consumer, just like them. And I can and will take my money elsewhere if Apple puts out a product I consider substandard.
Yeah, PC users unwillingness to pay for iPods is what let to how many millions being sold last quarter? And now that they have commited to by millions of iPods, they get cut a break. LOOK OUT! THE SKY IS FALLING!
Some people can’t cope with the fact that when it comes to the iPod, the majority of consumers aren’t Mac consumers.
I can’t believe there are so many people saying “Live with it” or “Get over it”. Smells of PC users to me! To give some perspective, I have a perfectly capable G4 Cube that serves as my main machine (as well as a 2004 12″ powerbook). My Cube does not have USB 2.0. Why should I, as a longtime supporter of Apple, have to buy a separate cable to sync my iPod? And what about the AC adapter?
The fact is that Apple has again shafted its installed base; and it’s not the first time! I for one was going to get a new iPod photo to replace my 40G gen 3 iPod. After this I will not be doing so, and will not do so until Apple reverses this decision.
These two so-called “small” things only touch the tip of the iceberg of what is wrong with Apple lately!
“According to Apple, the iPod requires a mac with firewire or USB 2.0”
Which all new Macintoshes come with. What’s your point?
To all the people saying Mac users are getting shafted on this… take a deep breath. We are not getting shafted on this. No one is FORCED to buy a FireWire cable. USB 2.0, although not invented by Apple, is a perfectly usable, albeit slightly slower, means of connecting an iPod to a Mac.
Apple is not, I say again NOT, dropping support for FireWire from iPods. They just are not including a cable in the box. Geez people… get a grip.
“The fact is that Apple has again shafted its installed base; and it’s not the first time! I for one was going to get a new iPod photo to replace my 40G gen 3 iPod. After this I will not be doing so, and will not do so until Apple reverses this decision.”
Newsflash! The FireWire cable from a 3G iPod will work with a 4G ipod.
C’mon FW cables are a dime a dozen. I’m sure a lot of us have a few spares lying around. For Apple the cost may be minimal but multiplying it by the millions of iPods it has to be included with it soon adds up. Anything Apple can do to help keep the prices down is good for us.
The fact is that Apple has again shafted its installed base; and it’s not the first time!
You may be upset to learn that the installed base of iPod owners are overwhelmingly PC users. Sorry.
I have a 3 year old PB without USB 2.0. What to do? Well, I originally bought a dockless 20GB iPod. Just last week I bought a dock. Now, until Apple moves beyond the dock strategy, I can keep buying iPods that I’ll pop in my firewire dock without a problem. It’s not like you’re going to have to buy a new firewire cable everytime the iPod gets revised folks.
You have to be kidding me right? What the hell do you want MDN? Petition all you want, even if you get as many people to sign as trees Steve Jobs hugs you just are not getting a Firewire cable. What is Apple? Yes, that’s right: A company. I public one at that. At the end of the day, Steve is checking the stock price just like Bill. That doesn’t make him evil. It just makes him a damn good CEO. Not having two cables just makes sense. Going with the one that is going to be used by most people makes sense. Apple is by no means abandoning the Mac, Firewire, or anything else. We are not talking about any loss of functionality, are we? No. So climb down from your Ivory Tower screaming the sky is falling. Prevent a monopoly. Go and buy a Dell.
MDN is right – it’s all about respect – if Apple wants to appeal to the masses they should make PC’s that run Windows.
We may love Apple products but Jobs has always been a prick and his attitude towards his loyal user base has always been “F-ck ’em” if they don’t like it.
“Disrespects” is not a verb.
I believe MDN has the right to state the belief and that MDN seems more logical than Apples choice to diss Firewire users. BTW what the fsck is up with FW 800… has Apple given up on it?
As a user of a 2 year old iMac with Firewire 400 & USB 1.1 I DO feel somewhat dissed by this. I love Apple’s products but I hate what they did here. Feels like an awful republican thing to do.
I post this yesterday on some other threads, around 4pm…
– – – – –
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
–
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?