“We raised the possibility yesterday of the iPhone 6 including a redesigned USB to Lightning cable that allows the USB end of the cord to be inserted into a USB port in either direction,” Mark Gurman repots for 9to5Mac.
“In other words, like the Lightning connector,” Gurman reports, “the next Apple USB cable could be reversible.”
“Leaks of the purported cables have been flowing quickly out of Asia-based areas surrounding the Apple supply chain,” Gurman reports, “and now Sonny Dickson has shared a video of the cable in action.”
More info and photos in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Judge Bork” and “Lynn Weiler” for the heads up.]
Related article:
Apple may soon ship new Lightning cable with reversible USB connector – August 15, 2014
So glad Apple is fixing this. USB connectors are very poorly thought out. How many millions of times per day are USB cords plugged in incorrectly on the first attempt?
Well, the answer is never. Because you can’t push them in the wrong way. But great to see Apple addressing this. Really stupid industry standard design.
Actually, that is incorrect. I know of three people who tried pushing them in incorrectly, where the result was a broken tab in the USB port. And almost anyone I know first tries to push it in the wrong way at least 50% of the time (statistical average, obviously).
I do agree, the original design was stupid; when the plug is totally symmetrical (other than the part that is concealed inside), it is up to the manufacturers to put some sort of a mark on one side to signify which end goes where, and because the manufacturers are left to their own devices, each does this their own way (Apple prints the USB logo, others may or may not do this), and the receiving port is never clearly marked, so one has to peer into it in order to determine which side goes where.
Interfaces created by Apple don’t suffer from this: FireWire, FW800, MiniDisplay, Thunderbolt, they are all clearly asymmetrical, and it is very easy to see which way they go in.
Leave it to Apple to fix a problem (USB) created by others’ ineptitude…
Totally agree it isn’t even that obvious when you start to push the connector in because even when correct it usually needs a few movements for it to align and slot in correctly.
Now if everyone else would adopt the lightning connector things would be perfect! I hate micro and mini USB ends.
yeah – just put a Lightning connector on BOTH ends of the cable – the size and ease beats all.
At last, I can guarantee a 100% success rate when plugging the bloody cable in, instead of the four or five like I get at the moment.
How is that even possible?
Right?! I mean, statistically shouldn’t I hit it right every once in a while? How can I guess wrong so many times?!
I like that that 4 seconds of video was produced with a musical score.
I’m not convinced by this at all. First, why take the plug out of shot? Then note that when the plug is taken out, the thumb twists the plug such that the USB logo is lying against the forefinger. When the plug comes back into shot, the forefinger is now against the side opposite the USB logo.
And if it is truly reversible, why not print the pogo on both sides? Sorry but I believe this to be a fake.
=:~)
…or even the logo…
=:~)
How about the port? I dont see how it can work on regular usb ports?
And if does not work on standard usb ports… That will creat big compatibility issues with accessories that dont have the new port….
Actually, NO, the receiving port DOES have a standard:
The USB connector is ALWAYS on the bottom. Hence, the empty space on the port is always on top. You can check all your devices and you’ll see that all manufacturers follow that standard.
Knowing this, you should never insert in the wrong way again unless it’s a sideways port, which also has a standard direction, but not easily discerned.