“But it’s not clear how [Apple and other] companies will implement Light Peak,” Crothers reports. “Another issue is whether Light Peak will be run over copper initially–not on top of light technology, as ironic as that may sound. Sources close to Intel’s Light Peak initiative say that it will not appear initially as a light technology but, rather, on traditional copper cables. ‘We cannot comment on rumors,’ said an Intel spokesman when asked about this.”
Crothers reports, “That didn’t stop me from asking Ziller about this and other details that might help to explain how high transfer speeds will manifest themselves in the form of connectors.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
If Apple adopts Light Peak how will I plug my iPhone in to sync with iTunes? That’s unless Apple retains 1-2 USB ports in the Mac. I suppose Light Peak adoption will be gradual rather than sudden & earth shattering.
@Ballmer’s left nut:
No- you plug a cable in the LightPeak port and on the other end of that cable is a “splitter” which splits into any number of other cables: USB, DVI, FireWire, Ethernet, etc. The cable acts as an adapter between everything and LightPeak (just like there’s a cable to adapt between DVI or VGA and miniDisplay Port).
Apple recently applied for a patent that appears to integrate optical Light Peak AND copper in order to provide power to connected devices, which is considered a requirement if Light Peak is to succeed. I’d expect this full implementation by Apple or none at all.
With all the hype Hype HYPE about Light Peak, it is NOT a completed standard, until possibly now with Apple’s addition of copper for power.
Anybody remember serial ports?
‘We cannot comment on rumors,’
Yea, that’s Apple talk if I ever heard it.
My MBP has FireWire, but only on one of the ports. It’ll probably be the same with light peak. Sounds like an awesome idea, but what do they mean by “over copper wires”?
Yeah but apple have been known to just implement technology and force us to move along with it.. I’m thinking that will happen with LP.
It’s a bummer and for 6 months we’ll all say Apple stinks, then after 8 fall in love again.. I really hate that jedi mind shit.
Whatever it is I’m not holding my breath for a simple connector. Simple, as in round. It will probably be like USB, that connector that no matter which way you first try to plug it in, it will always be the wrong way. I’d like it round, with a hollow center for the light pipe, with conductive rings around the barrel for power. Fat chance.
Apple should just move to Light Peak and force everyone to buy new peripherals.
Ya know… the Magic word isn’t case sensitive.
Sorry “TheRealCptnkirk” it appears that MDN has deleted your comment about how they should use the HTML5 “email” attribute on their text box. @MDN: Was it really such a bad comment?
Light Peak will not be ready for implementation anytime soon (late next year, maybe). Legacy USB ports will still be present for several years to come, unless Light Peak is matchable to the USB standard (the way USB 3.0 will be). Just as Firewire is still used and keeps crawling back even though it’s on the way out. But USB 2.0 is too cheap and ubiquitous to give up. For people who don’t want to go Bluetooth, adding additional expensive Light Peak ports to connect mice and keyboards is a waste. Light Peak is just like Firewire was – great for data transfer, but overkill for basic accessory connections.
And finally, it could well be that USB 3.0 implementation will make Light Peak irrelevant, just the way higher-speed Firewire is getting cast off before it ever got going.
“Anybody remember serial ports?”
Apple: Serial Killers in a Digital Age
Whatever happened to the wireless Firewire 1600 and 3200 standard?
Ironic naming, I know.
Copper for the power portion of the LightPeak spec, eh?
Must be why the Canadian Gubmint is planning on the death of the penny!
Or. Is it because the penny costs Canadians 1 1/2¢ to make
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@Grrrilla,
I think you (and many others) are confused on what Light Peak is and why it’s not directly competitive to USB the way FireWire is/was.
Light Peak will be cheaper for manufacturers to implement in desktops, laptops, iPhones, etc…
From a peripheral perspective, the cost doesn’t change. If they do nothing, their device is still compatible with Light Peak, only requiring an adapter or adapting cable. This is for USB, FireWire, eSata, HDMI, etc..
(Copied in part from my other account on CNET:)
Think of Light Peak as a way of consolidating all of your ports into one. Does your laptop have a video ports, USB ports, FireWire ports, eSata, etc… Is the USB 3.0? Is the FireWire 800? etc…
Light Peak is one single port that will support all of these. It can support any future one as long as it’s 10gbps or less. So imagine your laptop, netbook or other device (tablet/phone) having just Light Peak ports and everything plugs into it. Your portable 2.5″ USB drive plugs into the same port (and gets powered) as your monitor, video camera, scanner, printer, desktop drive, speakers, card reader, optical drive, RAID, iPhone, network, etc…
All you need to do to connect the (soon to be) legacy devices is get an adapter, cable, or hub.
It all works as long as it’s 10gbps or less for the first iteration of Light Peak. 10gbps is a magic number because it’s the peak speed for consumer products on the market today. Light Peak will scale to 100gbps soon.
But wait, it gets better…
Device makers can include a Light Peak port in the product itself and either continue to use their existing protocol, making the change very trivial (practically considered cosmetic), or can produce new products that take advantage of native Light Peak (which requires more engineering, but could benefit from the speed depending on the product).
Light Peak is coming. It’s going to be cheaper, faster, and easier to deal with.
I’m sure Monster Cable will be right there selling 3 foot Gold plated Light Peak cables for $79.99.
Meanwhile you can get the same online for $2.99.
@Macslut:
Thanks, honestly, for the reasonable response. But I may need more education – can you run multiple devices of multiple types through a single Light Peak port? And second, is that Light Peak port more or less expensive than a USB or Firewire port (including its internal hardware – mother board module, etc.)? If the answer to the first question is no, and the answer to the second questions is “more expensive”, then legacy ports like USB are still cheaper to continue to use for things that don’t require high through-put or high power (such as keyboards and mice), not to mention their utility in continuing to run legacy peripherals.
I remain unconvinced, but open to new evidence. I just think Light Peak will take several years to implement, and may still end up subjugated by lesser, cheaper, or more-prevalent tech. The next eight-track, beta tape, HD-DVD, Firewire, etc.
Light Peak won’t be a port initially. Light Peak will instead be a way for Apple to simplify motherboard design. Right now USB, FireWire, video, audio all have separate circuits. With Light Peak, you can have one fast pipe that carries everything. That would mean smaller computers, larger batteries or other space related improvements.
I would imagine the initial release of Light Peak will be “boring” as they will have a large enough challenge just having all those signals not get jumbled up.
@Grrrilla,
“can you run multiple devices of multiple types through a single Light Peak port?”
Yes. It’s conceivable that something like the MacBook Air (or even an iPad) would have one Light Peak port and from that multiple devices could be hubbed or daisy chained. 10gbps is really the limiting factor here (when it comes to driving monitors through the same port). You could connect your host device (computer) through one Light Peak port to an octopus/hub/dock that has USB, FireWire, eSata devices hooked up to it.
“Is Light Peak port more or less expensive than a USB or Firewire port (including its internal hardware – mother board module, etc.)?”
Yes and No. On the one hand, remember that from a peripheral device perspective Light Peak works with almost any current consumer port protocol. So peripheral device makers can continue to use USB ports on their side or use the Light Peak port event thought it’s still USB (or eSATA or FireWire, whatever).
Complicating things is the fact that the port design itself hasn’t been finalized. It may very well be fully physically compatible with USB, in which case USB peripheral device makers are already all set.
There could be cost savings as peripheral devices may benefit from increased power available from Light Peak. This could be significant since it could mean removing the power supply and cabling from the peripheral.
Bottom line for peripherals is that at worst it’s cost neutral, but there could be cost savings in the hardware and additional cost savings by not having to produce, market and support multiple port types. Take a look at the price difference between USB only drives, FireWire drives and drives that support both…and more with eSATA and FireWire 400/800.
From the host device side, it could enable things not practical today, such as being able to connect your iPhone to pretty much anything…physically…there would still need to be software for things to be supported.
Initially, there may be some added cost, offset somewhat by consolidation of ports and parts. But with backing from Apple, the volume should spike quickly bringing the costs down to below where they are now for supporting the various ports.
@Macslut
Thanks again. I agree with all that you say, but remain convinced of my initial position. All those shoulds, coulds, and woulds are fine, but there’s too many chefs in the kitchen for that pie to be baked anytime soon. I don’t expect to see Light Peak as the one port to rule them all within the next 18 months. Even if it appears (less-likely the longer it takes), it won’t be the solo port, and USB won’t disappear before USB 3.0 becomes more common than Firewire. USB 3.0 devices are already on the shelf.
There’s a very likely chance that Apple will debut a USB 3.0 device before we see Light Peak.
@ Derek Currie:
“With all the hype Hype HYPE about Light Peak, it is NOT a completed standard, until possibly now with Apple’s addition of copper for power.”
The draft standard is complete, and Apple didn’t add copper for power. Additional copper wires to support power has been part of the draft implementation for quite some time. *Everyone* understands that everything other than video only links need some level of power capability. (There’s even a power over Ethernet specification.)
@ Wingsy
“I’d like it round, with a hollow center for the light pipe, with conductive rings around the barrel for power. Fat chance.”
So anything more complex than the RCA jacks rooted back in the pre 1950s is too difficult for you?
The problem with USB 1.0 and 2.0 jacks is that they are not *obvious* as to how they need to be oriented to plug in. Surely you’re not overwhelmed by a standard power connector or wall plug. Anything that clear as to how to plug it in should be fine for everyone. Firewire 50 to 400 was that way. (Yes, Firewire started out at 50 Mbps back in ~1990.) The full, large USB 3.0 plug is that way. Ethernet is rather obvious. There are several other examples of plugs that are obvious as to orientation. As long as it’s fairly obvious as to orientation and gender of the plug, I’m happy — as I believe most other users will be.
@ Grrrilla:
“Light Peak will not be ready for implementation anytime soon (late next year, maybe).”
Many reports show first implementations possibly showing up as early as the late first half of 2011. This is NOT the same as widespread adoption. That won’t happen until 2012 at the earliest and maybe not until 2013 or later.
“Legacy USB ports will still be present for several years to come, unless Light Peak is matchable to the USB standard (the way USB 3.0 will be).”
Legacy USB ports (based upon the USB 2.0 standard) will be around for a very long time. There are many items that just do not need anything beyond USB 2.0 Highspeed (480 Mbps) and don’t mind the requirement for a central controller.
I do expect Apple to ship systems with USB (2.0 or 3.0), Firewire 800, Mini-Display Port and Light Peak for at least one generation, possibly two. I expect Apple to eventually migrate to USB 3.0 (backward compatible with 2.0) and Light Peak. Firewire and Mini
“Just as Firewire is still used and keeps crawling back even though it’s on the way out.”
Firewire’s only remaining strength is it does not require a central controller. You can plug a Firewire capable camcorder into a Firewire capable TV and view the imagery — no computer required.
“Light Peak is just like Firewire was – great for data transfer, but overkill for basic accessory connections.”
Light Peak’s strength is that it is a medium. It is the physical layer. If it gets fully implemented as proposed, you will be able to run Ethernet protocols, Firewire protocols, USB 2.0 and 3.0 protocols, even HDMI protocols over Light Peak. Combine that with Light Peak’s high bandwidth (10 Gbps to start with 100 Gbps in a decade) it will be the “go to” connection starting in a few years, maybe sooner.
“And finally, it could well be that USB 3.0 implementation will make Light Peak irrelevant, just the way higher-speed Firewire is getting cast off before it ever got going.”
What killed higher speed Firewire was the requirement for a different connection and different wire specifications. Firewire 1600 and 3200 have been part of the formal specification since about 2000, but were only fiber based until the revised specification a couple years ago.
USB 3.0 does not compete directly with Light Peak. In fact, if implemented properly, Light Peak could be a hardware implementation of two USB 3.0 connections over a single connection — Light Peak, in its first implementaion, has twice the throughput of USB 3.0.
What will determine how fast Light Peak is adopted are just a few things:
1. if the royalty fees are low enough (this killed the initial adoption by the industry of Firewire as Apple wanted $1 *per connector* for the royalty in the early days)
2. if Intel (and other players like Apple) starts including it on *everything* (Intel was a major player in USB 1.0 and 2.0 and included it on virtually all their boards thus prompting all its board competitors to do the same)
3. if the can deliver when (or before) they say the will. If it slips out and slips out and slips out two things will happen — a. It will become the Duke Nukem Forever of the hardware world and b. it will be overcome by other technology.
Only time will tell.
@ Shadowself: Thank you for a terrific reply with great information.
My source of information has been the article at Wikipedia:
[TEXT OF LINK]]” target=”_blank”>Light Peak</a>
To quote: “The major uncertainty in Light Peak is what type of power interface it supports, if any….suggesting that Light Peak is a bus rather than an interface and further suggesting that Light Peak would piggyback on USB 3.0 or 4.0 DC power and possibly also (to support monitors) pass through AC….”
If the article is correct, the method of delivery of power over Light Peak remains unspecified. I can’t call that a completed standard.
Um HUH? Let’s see if I can not FIU this time:
Light Peak