USB Type C

Apple Allegedly Won’t USB-C All The Things →

February 12, 2019 · 08:57

Joe Rossignol, for MacRumors:

Japanese blog Mac Otakara believes that 2019 models will stick with the Lightning connector as a cost-saving measure.

Based on its conversations with various accessory manufacturers, the blog also predicts that 2019 iPhones will continue to be bundled with the same old 5W power adapter, forcing customers to spend extra if they want a faster charger like the 18W USB-C version that ships with the latest iPad Pro models.

I’m already invested in USB-C in 2018 so I won’t be interested in a Lightning iPhone or Lightning AirPods until they make the switch to the newer standard. Also, the iPhones really should get the 18W charger in the box, while the iPad Pros should get a 30W charger — they can actually use it.

The Impossible Dream of USB-C Wireless →

October 15, 2017 · 09:11

Marco Arment:

I love the idea of USB-C: one port and one cable that can replace all other ports and cables. It sounds so simple, straightforward, and unified.

In practice, it’s not even close […]

Maybe next time, we’ll get it right. But probably not.

This is the main reason I have been trying, not completely successfully, to keep as many things wireless as possible. To avoid cables completely and only use them when absolutely necessary. I’m pretty sure Apple would like that too and they’d prefer to get rid of the current Lightning ports on iPhones and iPads altogether, instead of replacing them with USB-C (or whatever comes next). Inductive charging is not a fix though. We need truly wireless charging first.

Apple Cuts Prices on USB-C Adapters and Accessories →

November 5, 2016 · 08:31

Jim Dalrymple:

Apple on Friday cut the price on its USB-C adapters in the online store. The company also said that third-party USB-C peripherals in the store would be reduced in price.

“We are extremely excited about the new MacBook Pro, which is the best pro notebook we’ve ever made,” Apple said in a statement provided to The Loop. “It has the fastest CPU, graphics, memory, storage and I/O, best display, the innovative Touch Bar and more. MacBook Pro uses the most advanced industry-standard connector, USB-C with Thunderbolt 3, to provide maximum performance, expandability and compatibility.

“We recognize that many users, especially pros, rely on legacy connectors to get work done today and they face a transition. We want to help them move to the latest technology and peripherals, as well as accelerate the growth of this new ecosystem. Through the end of the year, we are reducing prices on all USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 peripherals we sell, as well as the prices on Apple’s USB-C adapters and cables.” (…)

Adapters included in the price reduction include:
• USB-C to USB Adapter (from $19 to $9);
• Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter (from $49 to $29);
• USB-C to Lightning Cable (1m) (from $25 to $19);
• USB-C to Lightning Cable (2m) (from $35 to $29);
• USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter (from $69 to $49);
• USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter (from $69 to $49).

The cost of the SanDisk Extreme Pro SD UHS-II Card USB-C Reader will be reduced from $49 to $29, and all other third party USB-C peripherals will also be discounted.

Good call, Apple.

Federico Viticci Tested Apple’s 29W USB-C Power Adapter and iPad Pro Fast Charging →

March 29, 2016 · 21:24

Federico Viticci:

The 29W USB-C power adapter with fast charging on the iPad Pro isn’t only capable of quickly charging an iPad Pro while its screen is turned off – most notably, it can both sustain and power the device considerably while it’s working hard used at full brightness. The 29W adapter is remarkably consistent in battery gains in a variety of conditions and it dramatically reduces the amount of time required to charge the iPad Pro.

I could guess Apple’s motivations for selling the 29W power adapter as a separate accessory (one could argue that fast charging for the iPad Pro wasn’t ready to ship last year). In an ideal world, however, the 29W adapter and USB-C to Lightning cable should be included in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro box.

The difference is insanely huge! I expected a difference, but not this.

Make sure to check out Federico’s charts.

Buying USB-C Cables Is Insane →

February 5, 2016 · 15:22

Dieter Bohn:

The solution should be simple, then: just don’t buy cut-rate USB-C cables. But “just buy the more expensive one” is a really crappy solution. Right now, if you want to buy a safe cable, you have to know Leung is the only person vetting them in a broad way on Amazon. Here’s the process you have to go through:

  1. Know that this is an issue in the first place.
  2. Know that this one helpful Google engineer is the only person testing and reviewing USB-C cables.
  3. Go hunting for Leung’s reviews on Amazon (or, alternately, discover this spreadsheet or this website created by redditors to aggregate his reviews).
  4. Buy a cable.
  5. Pray.

This process is insane, and it shouldn’t be this way.

People often complain about things such as Apple’s Made for iPhone program, but what they don’t understand at the time of complaining is that it’s there for their security. I’m currently looking to buy a USB-C cable myself and the current state of affairs is unacceptable.

OnePlus Issuing Refunds for Their USB-C Cables →

November 26, 2015 · 13:04

OnePlus:

Listening to our community and the broader tech community is extremely important to us. You all are the reason we exist in the first place. We owe it to you to deliver the best products possible – and to fix problems when we come across them. So we want to fix this.

If you’ve purchased the OnePlus USB Type-C cable or adapter on the OnePlus website as standalone products to use with devices other than the OnePlus 2, we are going to offer an opportunity to apply for a refund. Please note that cables that were included in the box with your OnePlus 2 are not eligible for a refund, since they are safe to use with the OnePlus 2.

I have one of these cables and since learning it could break my gear, I stopped using it. A friend of mine will take it of my hands however, so I won’t bother returning it. Yes, he knows.

Google Engineer Warns Not to Use OnePlus USB to USB Type C Cable →

November 19, 2015 · 12:49

Benson Leung:

It is not spec compliant (uses a 3A identifier resistor instead of the “Default USB Power” one), and may cause damage to your charger, hub, or PC USB port if you use it with Chromebook Pixel, Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X.

I have one of these and have been using it to connect my Apple TV 4 and MacBook Pro to record video. No damage so far, but I’m having second thoughts now…