Apple Puts Authentication Chip In Lightning Cable Ensures No Cheap Third-Party Option

[Howard]

It's not your average micro USB cable. It does way more than that.

A valid point only if uUSB could not have been used to provide the same functions.

 

[akugami]

Get off your high horse, the world has decided that proprietary connectors are bad. Any company who promotes such garbage deserves some hate.

As to your Samsung hate, at least my phone doesn't shatter when I drop it.

Funny you should mention that because in a recent drop test, the iPhone 5 survives mostly unscathed while the Galaxy S3...not so much.

Personally, I have always felt that it takes a large number of drop tests to get accurate data. With how mobile smart phones are today, survivability of the phone is highly dependent on what part of the smart phone impacts the ground.

Bearxor (post #223) provides excellent thought on a more consistent test methodology.

It's a stupid decision to put an authentication chip. Why is it needed?

I don't care if you don't have a problem with it... is it a smart and, above all, necessary thing for them to have put in the cable?

You're speaking as a consumer. There is more than one side to a coin. You may hate the decision to put an authentication chip in but it is a sound business decision.

So whether it is a stupid decision really depends on where you stand. If you're Apple or an Apple shareholder, this is a sound business decision to monetize accessories. If you're a consumer, of course you want cheaper peripherals and any security chip is going to make even knockoff accessories more expensive to produce.

For the lightning cable to contain a security chip is really the same reason why apps and books in the Google Play app store has DRM and why Google purchased a DRM company. Because the companies think it will help make them money. From that perspective, there is a sound business reason for having DRM or a security chip.

In know tens of people with iPhone 4 and 4S, and not one has a cracked back or screen.

Who are these people who crack their iPhones?

MotionMan

My wife's iPhone 4 had a cracked back screen. No clue how it happened. On the other hand, many members of my immediate family do not have cracked iPhones. And yes, it's anecdotal.

We have about 100 Android tablets.. and I haven't replaced any of them.

We sell about 25 Android devices per month and on average I replace 1-2 devices per month. That's out of all our customers and not out of the 25 we sell each month. And they're Samsung devices ranging from Galaxy Tab's to Galaxy Players loaded with proprietary software. Most of the replacements were due to bad microUSB ports that don't sync any more or don't charge. We don't replace cables so I don't know what the failure rate on those are.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

A valid point only if uUSB could not have been used to provide the same functions.

What other connector can do video out, audio out, charging, usb host, and syncing?

 

[s44]

What other connector can do video out, audio out, charging, usb host, and syncing?

MHL.... which is over microUSB

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

MHL.... which is over microUSB

All right, I didn't think about that. Then to that point, you'd have to get a HDTV that has MHL which can be in the hundreds of dollars and then you'd have to only use that TV for it. Or get a dongle which costs <$50 and then you can use it on whatever HDTV you want.

 

[QueBert]

This cable's expensive and proprietary, but guess what? it works. My Samsung Galaxy Note would not sync with my PC with the MicroUSB cable that came with my HTC EVO 4G. I tried 2 different HTC cables, both did the same thing. Apparently there's a pin difference which makes them only half compatible. And the MicroUSB cable that came with my Bluetooth headphones is apparently charge only as I was unable to sync either of my Android phones using it. I also had a Blackberry years back that would give me a message about unable to charge with this cable. And I couldn't even charge my phone with the non Blackberry MicroUSB cable I had.

MicroUSB still needs a lot of work imho, from company to company you never know what will and won't work with other devices. The worst is when you have a cable that seems to work, only you find out after a few days it takes 10x as long to charge your phone as the cable that came with it.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Imagine if laptop companies all used the same kind of power adapter so you can use it for any laptop.

Hilarious that this thread has 300 responses.

 

[zaydq]

Apple offers the iPhone at 3 main price points, $0, $99, and $199 (on contract). They don't offer a $50 devices, or a $149 device or whatever, but they are at the same price levels as Android devices. The iPad is still more expensive (only in comparison to smaller devices), but we'll see about that after next week.

Are they producing a wildly different device every 6 months like some Android OEMs? Or even every year? No. Why should they? The designs are winners, and they sell the devices as fast as they can make them. Here is an example:

The iPhone 3G sold more devices than the iPhone 1. The 3GS sold more than both of those combined. The iPhone 4? More than the 1, 3G and 3GS all combined. The 4S sold more than the previous 4 generations combined.

They are only able to produce devices as fast as they do because of their absurd cash pile, and being able to re-use components and design assets between generations. Samsung (as an example) may sell more phones than Apple does, but I don't know if that would hold true if they weren't selling all injection molded plastic shells instead of the aluminum, steel and glass that Apple uses. I am not arguing in favor of either approach, only to say that the materials that Apple uses are more labor intensive to craft and to manufacture.

I don't think that they are resting on their laurels. I agree that there are some changes that they should consider making to the Home Screen in particular on iOS, and I personally prefer WP 7.5 to iOS even though I use an iPhone. But I don't think that they are letting the competition pass them by. I would argue that someone will always out-spec them. That's fine, but until someone can sell a better EXPERIENCE than Apple, they are doing just fine. Until someone can provide a better integrated ECOSYSTEM than Apple can provide, they are doing just fine.

Apple's market share continues to grow, and I absolutely do NOT think that they are headed on a downward slide. I think that the IT, PC and computing landscapes are changing, and trying to judge the future by the past is a sure-fire way to have egg on one's face.

To add to your points,

People buy what people like. Sure, Apple products carry high price tags... and they are out-spec'd quite often... clearly they should be grovelling for money. The true fact of the matter is people are paying for simplicity, aesthetics and for "boutique" appeal. Why are people paying what they pay for Macbooks when manufacturers like Samsung and Toshiba offer a similar spec'd Laptop for considerably less.

I hate Macs, doesn't mean someone else does. I love my iPhone 5, first iPhone i've ever purchased. It came with a price, and all the user experience I have had with the iPhone 5 and the SGIII would indicate that the SGIII would have been the better phone in terms of features. Unfortunately, the iPhone suited what I was looking for better than the SGIII did and the user experience was more natural for my tastes.

So when someone wants to use the "Apple products are overpriced" argument, just remember that consumers vote with their wallets, and with Apple's insane profit margins, its clear they are voting Apple.

My biggest beef is that they limit freedom (this is one that I can't get over) and force you to use their crap/products (accessories/Itunes etc). Also price, they are way too expensive vs competition and prey on sheep/use their logo to get their money.

Which is fine, if apple can do it, more power to them.

The Apple logo only works because people have associated it with quality, being exotic, and reliability. If Apple products were crap, people would associate it as so. People are voting Apple with their wallets. Don`t blame the logo, blame the consumers who give the logo it`s reputation.

 

[Ichinisan]

Chiming in here. My friend works on phones and mobile devices (Android and iOS). Second only to screen replacements, the most common repair is for broken microUSB connectors.

I just had the microUSB connector pull out of a $100 Bluetooth headset (Plantronics Voyager Pro+).

Lightning feels tight and durable. I think the durability of the jack will not be a concern for devices with Lightning.

 

[ControlD]

Chiming in here. My friend works on phones and mobile devices (Android and iOS). Second only to screen replacements, the most common repair is for broken microUSB connectors.

I just had the microUSB connector pull out of a $100 Bluetooth headset (Plantronics Voyager Pro+).

Lightning feels tight and durable. I think the durability of the jack will not be a concern for devices with Lightning.

At the same time I don't think the durability of the previous Apple dock connector was in question in the first place.

 

[Red Storm]

You're speaking as a consumer. There is more than one side to a coin. You may hate the decision to put an authentication chip in but it is a sound business decision.

So whether it is a stupid decision really depends on where you stand. If you're Apple or an Apple shareholder, this is a sound business decision to monetize accessories. If you're a consumer, of course you want cheaper peripherals and any security chip is going to make even knockoff accessories more expensive to produce.

This is a forum of consumers is it not (as almost all are)? People working for Apple or Apple shareholders would have an obvious bias. Our interests here are for the consumer - us - not Apple or its shareholders. So I think it's quite fair and correct to look upon the cable chip negatively here on this forum.

 

[Ichinisan]

This is a forum of consumers is it not (as almost all are)? People working for Apple or Apple shareholders would have an obvious bias. Our interests here are for the consumer - us - not Apple or its shareholders. So I think it's quite fair and correct to look upon the cable chip negatively here on this forum.

I've had to throw away legitimate Apple ultracompact USB power adapters because I could not distinguish them from the counterfeits I had purchased. The counterfeits repeatedly damaged devices and even caught fire once. I doubt a USB cable is a big deal, but poor quality counterfeits are a huge concern for Apple and for consumers.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Apple, screwing suckers for decades and setting the standards for modern American business practices. You should join ole Steve in the ground, Apple.

 

[akugami]

This is a forum of consumers is it not (as almost all are)? People working for Apple or Apple shareholders would have an obvious bias. Our interests here are for the consumer - us - not Apple or its shareholders. So I think it's quite fair and correct to look upon the cable chip negatively here on this forum.

OK, aside from the post being from about 2 months ago...

Lots of people who posted in this thread were only ranting and raving about what a bad decision it is. They're making it seem as if it was the height of lunacy to include an authentication chip and that the people in charge who decided to include authentication chip in the cable must have had a lobotomy before making that decision. I just trying to put things in the proper perspective.

I don't disagree with what you're saying but at the same time, it's kinda overboard what some of the other people are saying. Especially since it's the same handful who is always ranting about what Apple does. And the encryption contained was relatively weak. There's already knockoff Lightning cables for sale, although they seem to be of dubious quality so I'm holding off on that front. I'm actually thinking of getting a micro USB to Lightning adapter since I always carry a micro USB cable for my Nexus 7.

 

[zerocool84]

I've had to throw away legitimate Apple ultracompact USB power adapters because I could not distinguish them from the counterfeits I had purchased. The counterfeits repeatedly damaged devices and even caught fire once. I doubt a USB cable is a big deal, but poor quality counterfeits are a huge concern for Apple and for consumers.

If it's much cheaper than the official product, don't buy it. Seems like a pretty simple way to avoid getting crappy products of any kind no matter micro usb or apple connectors.

 

[ControlD]

If it's much cheaper than the official product, don't buy it. Seems like a pretty simple way to avoid getting crappy products of any kind no matter micro usb or apple connectors.

That is certainly what the premier manufacturers would like you to believe. Good to see old fashioned marketing is still working. I have never had a single issue with any of my $2.00 30 pin iPod connectors. Never had an issue with $0.99 HDMI cables or optical audio connectors. Guess I'll keep rolling the dice and have a little cash to spend on more worthy purchases. I'll let others spend the 1000% markup on Apple or Monster cables.

 

[SAWYER]

After market lightning cables work, I have ordered a few

 

[boomhower]

It wouldn't be as big of a deal if they charged more reasonable prices for their cords. $10 a pop would still give them a very nice profit margin and make using riskier counterfeits less appealing.

 

[zsdersw]

Chiming in here. My friend works on phones and mobile devices (Android and iOS). Second only to screen replacements, the most common repair is for broken microUSB connectors.

What's your friend's ratio of Android phones to iPhones?

I just had the microUSB connector pull out of a $100 Bluetooth headset (Plantronics Voyager Pro+).

As an isolated incident that doesn't mean much if you're trying to implicate microUSB.

Lightning feels tight and durable. I think the durability of the jack will not be a concern for devices with Lightning.

Lots of things feel tight and durable when they're new. The long-term reliability remains to be seen.

 

[Capt Caveman]

That is certainly what the premier manufacturers would like you to believe. Good to see old fashioned marketing is still working. I have never had a single issue with any of my $2.00 30 pin iPod connectors. Never had an issue with $0.99 HDMI cables or optical audio connectors. Guess I'll keep rolling the dice and have a little cash to spend on more worthy purchases. I'll let others spend the 1000% markup on Apple or Monster cables.

I've had issues with both Monoprice 30pin iPhone cables(being able to power the iphone but not able to transmit/receive data) and just recently one of my monoprice microusb cables has a loose fit with my Nexus 10 and doesn't always charge it. The original cable with the Nexus 10 still fits nice and snug. As does the original Apple iPhone cable, still works like a charm.

 

[MotionMan]

I've had issues with both Monoprice 30pin iPhone cables(being able to power the iphone but not able to transmit/receive data) and just recently one of my monoprice microusb cables has a loose fit with my Nexus 10 and doesn't always charge it. The original cable with the Nexus 10 still fits nice and snug. As does the original Apple iPhone cable, still works like a charm.

I have had about 75% success with cheap cables for iDevices, HDMI and USB.

MotionMan

 

[ControlD]

I've had issues with both Monoprice 30pin iPhone cables(being able to power the iphone but not able to transmit/receive data) and just recently one of my monoprice microusb cables has a loose fit with my Nexus 10 and doesn't always charge it. The original cable with the Nexus 10 still fits nice and snug. As does the original Apple iPhone cable, still works like a charm.

Well, I always knew I had to be lucky at something! The only cables I have thrown away are some of my original Apple 30 pin cables simply from breaking down after years of use. The rest of my $2.00 cables are still going strong.

 

[Ichinisan]

What's your friend's ratio of Android phones to iPhones?



As an isolated incident that doesn't mean much if you're trying to implicate microUSB.



Lots of things feel tight and durable when they're new. The long-term reliability remains to be seen.

I haven't heard of a single connector repair on an iPhone [edited for clarity: we're talking about my friend's low-volume repair work]. [He has performed] multiple repairs on microUSB connectors.

There's no question on this. MicroUSB and miniUSB are NOT durable. They are barely serviceable when you consider that you would be connecting and disconnecting many times per day.

 

[zsdersw]

I haven't heard of a single connector repair on an iPhone. Multiple repairs on microUSB connectors. There's no question on this. MicroUSB and miniUSB are NOT durable. They are barely serviceable when you consider that you would be connecting and disconnecting many times per day.

Then obviously you're not paying attention. It does happen: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1285465

Apple was for microUSB charging before they were against it: http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/02/01/apple-behind-push-for-micro-usb-charging-standard/

 

[CZroe]

Then obviously you're not paying attention. It does happen: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1285465

Apple was for microUSB charging before they were against it: http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/02/01/apple-behind-push-for-micro-usb-charging-standard/

While, yes, it does happen and I too wonder how he missed it, the person you linked to still had a perfectly functional port. It's like linking to a microUSB user reporting a loose-feeling microUSB port.