EU law requiring all new electronic devices manufactured from 2024 onwards to use a common charging cable.

[Bantamzen]

The whole thing is all a bit Speccy vs C64

No contest there, Speccy all the way. Underpowered, hamstrung with the notorious colour clash thing, yet some of the best games came from it because devs had to work harder & smarter to get really good games to work on the platform. Also the rubber keys & a golf ball meant you could boss the sprint events on Daley Thompson's Decathlon...

The iPhone is brilliant for photography and video filming, and professionals aren't waiting to backup to the cloud and then back to their MacBook to edit the video - especially the ProRes stuff. They're using the cable, and most likely getting frustrated (but not necessarily saying so because that would be seen as anti-Apple). There are rather a lot of pros out there using iPhones, and Apple is already seeing more demand for the iPhone 14 Pro models than the standard ones.

Cloud storage is just fine with my Google One account (2TB, VPN and other services included) and all my photos, videos, texts, calendar appointments, emails, contacts and more are in the cloud. If my phone died tomorrow, or it was stolen, I'd have lost almost nothing and can be up and running in the time it takes for me to set up a new device and restore the data*. Even app data for many apps and games is saved. Apple has improved immeasurably with iCloud, because I am sure nobody wishes to bring up how it was early on. It was absolutely awful, just as Apple Maps was, and indeed to a certain extent Apple Photos (which I stopped using, so can't tell if it's better now). And, iTunes? Come on!!

* Admittedly the user experience does vary from one vendor to another, but by and large most of the clever stuff is now standard on ALL Android devices regardless of the manufacturer.

As brilliant as cloud services are, they are still vulnerable. The company could have a change in policy, decide to charge for their previously free server space, they could get hacked, or even go bust (unlikely in the case of Apple for example, but never say never). So being able to hard wire your device up to a storage option that you own and keep, especially if they are key to your business is invaluable. Cloud is great, but should always be considered the third storage option, not the first or second.

 

[Cdd89]

Do most people do that? I doubt it. I've got two, one gives 2-3 days of charges and one gives a weeks' worth. There is far more variance from how much I've used it. I don't see a huge point in buying the one-day ones, they're not much smaller than a 2-3 day one.

Maybe not, but I have one with an integrated cable which recharges by about 60%, which is enough to get me through a day. It fits in my pocket behind my phone. That isn’t the case with a 2-3 day one which belongs in a bag (or a coat pocket, at best).

Also - having a power bank attached to your phone is sub-optimal. Faster charging means you can spend less time holding both phone and power bank.

I bought a MagSafe Battery Pack last year which really ought to have been the perfect product for me. I wasn’t impressed due to its small capacity (about 30%), its slow charging speed, and the fact it remains permanently attached.

And yes, I know your response will be that Apple is for the 90% and if I don’t like it I should look elsewhere — which I agree with you on, in reality if they get rid of the port I will likely lump it, just like I’ll cope next year when they ditch the sim tray even though that hasn’t been fully worked through by the networks*.

* My gripe with eSIMs, which admittedly is a bit niche, is that you can’t transfer the SIM without having both devices up-and-running — as the network requires SMS verification to the existing device. This means you can’t trade-in your existing phone before you have fully set up the new one, which isn’t practical in an Apple Store, unless you also plan a visit to a mobile phone store. My guess is it’ll be ironed out in due course, the obvious answer would be able to get the verification code in advance and usable within X days; but I expect there’ll be a few years of pain.

 

[66701GBRF]

It wouldn't totally surprise me to see the Pro the only one with a port, for that matter. But this only applies to video - photos upload in seconds.

Isn't that what I said in a previous post only for you to reply a Pro "it's just an upspecced model, not one with ports all over it" while also ignoring previous points about moving large files.

 

[sor]

I think we're also forgetting that wireless charging is much less efficient (gonna be a bit of a hard sell against a backdrop of trying to make energy savings) and slower. It would also hamstring Apple's own support and diagnostic process, if you've ever taken the iPhone in for a repair the first thing they do is put it into a docking station. It also makes it difficult to do a software restore as that is done over USB. They could change those processes, but what's the point.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Isn't that what I said in a previous post only for you to reply a Pro "it's just an upspecced model, not one with ports all over it" while also ignoring previous points about moving large files.

I was referring to the idea that the iPad Pro should have both types of port, which is not happening.

Unless you're using a 56K modem, moving large files over the Internet is very quick these days. So quick that getting the cable out would be huge effort. Particularly as it'll be uploading from the point you finished taking it, not just when you manually invoke the upload. (Don't say "but my data allowance" - people doing this sort of thing don't have small data allowances).

The Apple ecosystem is not for Luddites and people who want a phone that works like a desktop computer. If you want that, you want Android.

 

[66701GBRF]

No one suggested there should be two different ports on either the iphone, or ipad. One post theorised that Apple could add usbc for charging only while keeping lightening for data and still be compliant with the EU regs. It wasn't a suggestion that it would actually happen.

If people didn't want their iPhone to work like a computer they wouldn't have been calling out for a proper file system for years and Apple wouldn't have (eventually) developed the Files App. Not sure who your Luddites remark is aimed at but I have been using either an iPad or iphone since 2011 so I know exactly what its short comings are.

Getting a cable out is huge effort? You have lost the plot.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Getting a cable out is huge effort? You have lost the plot.

It is more effort than the absolutely nothing whatsoever that I have to do for a photo or video I take to automatically upload to iCloud and download onto my Mac. I literally have to do nothing at all for that to happen. Nothing. It'll literally just be sat there when I get home, already downloaded.

My previous laptop was a Dell Windows machine, and I had OneDrive set up to do exactly the same thing, so it can be done on Windows/Android too.

 

[66701GBRF]

Tell me that when you are moving GB's of files about and/or want hard copies on an external hard drive.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Tell me that when you are moving GB's of files about

Took a few hours to move about 400GB of stuff from my Onedrive to my iCloud Drive. It's 2022, not 2002.

and/or want hard copies on an external hard drive.

If I did I plug it into the Mac and copy it over. It's already downloaded before I've even got to it.

 

[66701GBRF]

Well that "few hours" would have been knocked down to 2 hours 15 minutes over USB 2, 13 minutes over USB 3.0, 7 minutes over USB 3.1 and about 3 minutes over USB 3.2. I know which method I would prefer and don't have to rely on a separate service to do it.

Cloud services may have their place but not necessarily for moving large data amounts about.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Well that "few hours" would have been knocked down to 2 hours 15 minutes over USB 2, 13 minutes over USB 3.0, 7 minutes over USB 3.1 and about 3 minutes over USB 3.2. I know which method I would prefer and don't have to rely on a separate service to do it.

Cloud services may have their place but not necessarily for moving large data amounts about.

Then while you might use an iPhone you are not in Apple's core market.

 

[jon0844]

As someone has said before, cloud backup has its place (it's extremely useful for using multiple devices) but it is only one method of moving and saving/backing up files. Transferring files over wireless is maybe 1Gbps at most (not many client devices support Wi-Fi beyond 100Mbps, and you're probably not going to max it out) and over USB it can be as much as 40Gbps, and it being possible to sustain such speeds.

That's why pros still use cables, and probably a bunch of ultra fast SSDs. That's why they spend thousands on top-spec iPhone Pro, iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models because every second counts.

That's Apple's core market and they aren't about to mess it up by getting rid of ports.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That's Apple's core market and they aren't about to mess it up by getting rid of ports.

It is NOT Apple's core market. It is a fairly niche market. However I do think if ports are retained it will be on the iPhone Pro models to placate this market, and not on all of them.

By contrast I am certain they will not put both ports on any device. If they were going to do that they would already have done it on the iPad Pro.

 

[nlogax]

By contrast I am certain they will not put both ports on any device. If they were going to do that they would already have done it on the iPad Pro.

It's a safe bet that Apple will have to put USB-C ports on at least the next iPhone model. They're not ready to jettison their customer base yet by insisting on wireless charging. All indications are pointing to using USB-C as a short term measure until they make the next 'courageous' move.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's a safe bet that Apple will have to put USB-C ports on at least the next iPhone model. They're not ready to jettison their customer base yet by insisting on wireless charging. All indications are pointing to using USB-C as a short term measure until they make the next 'courageous' move.

I'd expect the iPhone 15 to have USB-C ports on all models, and then the 16 to have at least one model with no ports, but the Pro to almost certainly have a USB-C.

Lightning is dead and in my view will not feature on any devices afther the 14.

 

[jon0844]

It is NOT Apple's core market. It is a fairly niche market. However I do think if ports are retained it will be on the iPhone Pro models to placate this market, and not on all of them.

By contrast I am certain they will not put both ports on any device. If they were going to do that they would already have done it on the iPad Pro.

The Pro models have always been designed and aimed at content creators, designers and the like. That probably also includes a lot of students, although the MacBook Air was more for them.

The lines might be a little blurred now, but Apple's whole reputation is built around that audience, and many people buy into it because they want to be associated with the image even if they only ever use Safari and YouTube.

 

[sor]

* My gripe with eSIMs, which admittedly is a bit niche, is that you can’t transfer the SIM without having both devices up-and-running — as the network requires SMS verification to the existing device. This means you can’t trade-in your existing phone before you have fully set up the new one, which isn’t practical in an Apple Store, unless you also plan a visit to a mobile phone store. My guess is it’ll be ironed out in due course, the obvious answer would be able to get the verification code in advance and usable within X days; but I expect there’ll be a few years of pain.

In the apple world, you can do an eSIM transfer between devices using an Apple process that seemed pretty straightforward when I did it (applecare replacement). It does need network co-operation though, but EE certainly allows it. EE also lets you request a new eSIM via their app.

I'm not sure I'd like to have a phone where eSIM is the only option however.

 

[Bletchleyite]

In the apple world, you can do an eSIM transfer between devices using an Apple process that seemed pretty straightforward when I did it (applecare replacement). It does need network co-operation though, but EE certainly allows it. EE also lets you request a new eSIM via their app.

I'm not sure I'd like to have a phone where eSIM is the only option however.

Nor me, because I use dual SIM so I can use one phone for work and personal use rather than carrying two, and work doesn't offer that option for now.

 

[jon0844]

The industry can't wait to remove physical SIM trays, but I do hope it doesn't happen too soon as swapping a physical SIM is much easier. By all means have eSIM also (many phones have two physical slots + eSIM, albeit only two can be used) but the process for some networks can be fiddly, even have fees (albeit nominal) and take time to process (like ticket on collection for TVMs, it should be quick but they expect you to accept there could be issues).

The UK doesn't have full support from networks and MVNOs yet, but it will probably happen one day.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think the eSIM process can be improved. For instance, scanning one on another phone should automatically deactivate it on the original one if/when it next attempts to connect, just as if I deauthorise a device from Apple Music or similar, you shouldn't have to release it. At the moment it seems to be sat in the "mTicket" type approach, it needs to be more "eTicket".

If they sort that out, it should simply be a case of logging onto your account with your provider, downloading an eSIM PDF and scanning it. Much easier than a physical card.

 

[D365]

I'd expect the iPhone 15 to have USB-C ports on all models, and then the 16 to have at least one model with no ports, but the Pro to almost certainly have a USB-C.

Lightning is dead and in my view will not feature on any devices afther the 14.

This is the only view I think we can all agree on!

 

[py_megapixel]

I think the eSIM process can be improved. For instance, scanning one on another phone should automatically deactivate it on the original one if/when it next attempts to connect, just as if I deauthorise a device from Apple Music or similar, you shouldn't have to release it.

There have been widely reported examples in the past of scammers persuading a phone company to issue a new SIM for the victim's account and then intercepting their two-step authentication messages.
Are the codes for eSIMs single-use? If not, there needs to be some verification that the account holder actually owns the new device, otherwise this sort of fraud will become even easier.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There have been widely reported examples in the past of scammers persuading a phone company to issue a new SIM for the victim's account and then intercepting their two-step authentication messages.
Are the codes for eSIMs single-use? If not, there needs to be some verification that the account holder actually owns the new device, otherwise this sort of fraud will become even easier.

That happens because message previews appear on the lock screen, and is easy to avoid by setting your phone not to do so.

 

[py_megapixel]

That happens because message previews appear on the lock screen, and is easy to avoid by setting your phone not to do so.

That's a different sort of thing. I'm talking about where a fraudster literally goes into a mobile network store and convinces them to issue a new SIM in the name of an existing customer.