Do you really think that?
Back when that would’ve been a good argument… but why then when USB-C did become a thing, and became robust and well-supported enough that even Apple used it on every other device they sold, didn’t they adopt it onto the IPhone despite lightning being an inferior standard in basically every way?
Why did they literally have to be forced by the EU to adopt the very standard they helped to create, a standard that was de-facto almost everywhere else?
Because they wanted that sweet, sweet proprietary monopoly. Plain and simple, the rest is just excuses.
Back when that would’ve been a good argument… but why then when USB-C did become a thing, and became robust and well-supported enough that even Apple used it on every other device they sold, didn’t they adopt it onto the IPhone despite lightning being an inferior standard in basically every way?
What’s the advantage of using USB-C? Because it’s a standard, right? A standard means wide support and it works with what you already have. Except Apple had effectively already established that with Lightning. It was in hundreds of millions of devices before USB-C became mainstream. Sure USB-C was nominally standard, but Lightning maintained the advantages for Apple’s customers as a de facto standard. The switch to USB-C meant buying new cables, while Lightning meant using the cables you already had.
What’s the advantage of using USB-C? Because it’s a standard, right?
Other than support for superior data transfer speeds, energy carrying ability, and durability? Yeah, it would be that it is an almost universal standard outside of the Iphone.
A standard means wide support and it works with what you already have. Except Apple had effectively already established that with Lightning. It was in hundreds of millions of devices before USB-C became mainstream.
For well-established standards this is correct, but every standard has to start out somewhere, and you’ll find once upon a time lightning was faced this exact same argument.
Sure USB-C was nominally standard, but Lightning maintained the advantages for Apple’s customers as a de facto standard.
A defacto standard for more or less only Iphones, as Apple switched almost all of their other products to use USB-C once it reached mass adoption.
You’ll find that being locked into Apple’s proprietary charging standard maintained a much larger advantage for Apple than it did their customers in allowing Apple to demand royalties/licensing fees from any 3rd parties that wanted to make charging accessories.
The switch to USB-C meant buying new cables, while Lightning meant using the cables you already had.
You could make this argument against the adoption of any new standard, again baring in mind that once upon a time lightning stood was the new standard that faced this exact criticism.
Also, had Apple just allowed other manufacturers to make use of lightning as a standard, you wouldn’t even need to worry about this right now - thus this is a rod for Apple’s own back, which they won’t mind since they already got off with the money.
Other than support for superior data transfer speeds, energy carrying ability, and durability? Yeah, it would be that it is an almost universal standard outside of the Iphone.
I specifically said the physical design of Lightning is superior
A defacto standard for more or less only Iphones, as Apple switched almost all of their other products to use USB-C once it reached mass adoption.
The iPhone and all of Apple’s accessories (such as AirPods) used Lightning up until a couple of months ago. The keyboards and mice still use Lightning. A connector used on well over a billion devices has all of the practical advantages for consumers of being a standard even if it’s nominally proprietary.
You could make this argument against the adoption of any new standard, again baring in mind that once upon a time lightning stood was the new standard that faced this exact criticism.
Yes, which is why companies should always be reluctant to change unless the new option is significantly better. Lightning was way better than anything else available and was worth the inconvenience of the change. The benefits were real and obvious to all users. The transition to USB-C is … less compelling for users.
