The site explains that Lightning port is not going anywhere and Apple is resistant to changing the included accessories to maintain production costs.
Just remember Apple is claiming to be eco-friendly [apple.com] while producing hundreds of millions of unnecessary, proprietary, and redundant connectors instead of using an industry standard USB-C cable that would accomplish exactly the same purpose AND waste less in the process. Not to mention that USB-C can transfer data faster (480Mbps vs 10Gbps), transfer more power (12W vs 100W), be double ended, and work with other devices.
When Lightning was introduced it was an improvement over the truly awful microUSB connect
Because "industry standard" wires don't use natural resources.
Using a standard cable means you need less of them in total. It means that nobody has to create tooling or waste energy or transport a second type of cable. This costs real money, uses real energy and is easily shown to be wasteful.
That relies on the assumption that you only have 1 standard that no older standards are ever used. When USB-C became the standard, people didn’t stop using mini-B, micro-B etc and threw away all their devices that used them. That would actually been a lot more waste. Over time, consumers would have to get new cables regardless. I still have a box of different USB cables depending which device I need to connect.
That relies on the assumption that you only have 1 standard that no older standards are ever used.
Not at all. I'm well aware of the existing legacy equipment and I understand that people will continue to use it for some time. But you are only thinking of it (understandably) from one perspective. Continuing to sell it going forward is demonstrably wasteful. 9 pin D-sub connectors used to be common and still exist but they aren't sold as standard equipment on most PCs anymore. Those who need them for old equipment either buy an interface card or an adapter. New equipment comes with new ports and you
Not at all. I'm well aware of the existing legacy equipment and I understand that people will continue to use it for some time. But you are only thinking of it (understandably) from one perspective. Continuing to sell it going forward is demonstrably wasteful. 9 pin D-sub connectors used to be common and still exist but they aren't sold as standard equipment on most PCs anymore. Those who need them for old equipment either buy an interface card or an adapter. New equipment comes with new ports and you adapt old equipment to it. To continue to sell a variety of legacy ports in new equipment is wasteful.
That's not my argument. I have multiple devices in which the only interface is a legacy cable. I can either replace it all so that I can use a new cable or keep using them as long as they work. Replacing the equipment generates far more waste than using the cables and equipment that I already have.
There is some waste and conversion cost to the new standard but in the long run having a single physical connection standard will demonstrably be less wasteful than trying to maintain numerous legacy connectors with physically different connections.
No one is trying to "maintain numerous legacy connectors". They are dealing with reality. When that equipment was made it came with brand new connectors. In the intervening years, those connectors became legacy. A
It was pity stayed his hand.
"Pity I don't have any more bullets," thought Frito.
-- _Bored_of_the_Rings_, a Harvard Lampoon parody of Tolkein
Eco-friendly? (Score:5, Insightful)
The site explains that Lightning port is not going anywhere and Apple is resistant to changing the included accessories to maintain production costs.
Just remember Apple is claiming to be eco-friendly [apple.com] while producing hundreds of millions of unnecessary, proprietary, and redundant connectors instead of using an industry standard USB-C cable that would accomplish exactly the same purpose AND waste less in the process. Not to mention that USB-C can transfer data faster (480Mbps vs 10Gbps), transfer more power (12W vs 100W), be double ended, and work with other devices.
When Lightning was introduced it was an improvement over the truly awful microUSB connect
Re: (Score:2)
Because "industry standard" wires don't use natural resources.
Standard products = less waste (Score:3)
Because "industry standard" wires don't use natural resources.
Using a standard cable means you need less of them in total. It means that nobody has to create tooling or waste energy or transport a second type of cable. This costs real money, uses real energy and is easily shown to be wasteful.
Re: (Score:2)
Sunk cost fallacy (Score:2)
That relies on the assumption that you only have 1 standard that no older standards are ever used.
Not at all. I'm well aware of the existing legacy equipment and I understand that people will continue to use it for some time. But you are only thinking of it (understandably) from one perspective. Continuing to sell it going forward is demonstrably wasteful. 9 pin D-sub connectors used to be common and still exist but they aren't sold as standard equipment on most PCs anymore. Those who need them for old equipment either buy an interface card or an adapter. New equipment comes with new ports and you
Re: (Score:2)
Not at all. I'm well aware of the existing legacy equipment and I understand that people will continue to use it for some time. But you are only thinking of it (understandably) from one perspective. Continuing to sell it going forward is demonstrably wasteful. 9 pin D-sub connectors used to be common and still exist but they aren't sold as standard equipment on most PCs anymore. Those who need them for old equipment either buy an interface card or an adapter. New equipment comes with new ports and you adapt old equipment to it. To continue to sell a variety of legacy ports in new equipment is wasteful.
That's not my argument. I have multiple devices in which the only interface is a legacy cable. I can either replace it all so that I can use a new cable or keep using them as long as they work. Replacing the equipment generates far more waste than using the cables and equipment that I already have.
There is some waste and conversion cost to the new standard but in the long run having a single physical connection standard will demonstrably be less wasteful than trying to maintain numerous legacy connectors with physically different connections.
No one is trying to "maintain numerous legacy connectors". They are dealing with reality. When that equipment was made it came with brand new connectors. In the intervening years, those connectors became legacy. A