Of course the brand is Apple. Apple makes lots of hardware. What is being discussed here is phone connectors. For iPhones, the empirical data is easy to come by - there have been two connectors, the original 30 pin and the current Lightning connector. The iPhone has been made for 8 years, in 10 significantly different models. The changeover occurred after five years. So, no, the connectors on the iPhone have not been changed ‘at the drop of a hat’. If you want to argue laptop connectors, find a laptop post. Based on the actual data, Apple does not change the iPhone connectors frequently.
I do expect that in 2016, when they are likely to next significantly alter models again with the iPhone 7, the connector will change again to the USB-C standard. Apple’s already using it for a laptop, and they’re involved in the standards specifications for USB-C. That means the Lightning adapter will have a similar 4-5 year duration time as the 30-pin connector. Once again, not fitting at all with the accepted definitions for ‘at the drop of a hat’.
Apple’s all about economies of scale - they don’t change unless there’s a damn good reason, and then they apply that change as widely as possible (i.e. the Lightning connector now used on just about every mobile device they’ve got (iPhone, iPad, iPad mini, iPod Touch)).
My cables definitely take a beating. I recently lost an already frayed one to a vacuum cleaner. But just buying a bunch of certified ones when they go on sale and having one in every room of the house seems preferable to a $25 version.
If I was a business traveller on regular trips, I may consider a more bombproof one like this though…
Heck, if you expand the scope outside just the iPhone, the 30-pin connector was introduced with the 3rd gen iPod in 2003, so it had a solid 9 year exclusive lifespan before lightning appeared in 2012.
There’s lots of things to criticize Apple on, but this isn’t one of them. The data are what they are - arguing against obvious reality is a fool’s mission. If you don’t understand how empirical evidence works, then I just feel sorry for you.
Yeah, that’s another reasonable point, but I didn’t want to bring the iPod into the discussion, since the discussion was focused specifically on connectors to the iPhone.
What about criticizing them instead for stubbornly resisting the use of sensible connectors?
First 30-pin monstrosity that’s difficult to find and appropriately overpriced, then something so modern it is difficult to find and likely with a proprietary chip. What was ever wrong on microUSB and 3.5mm audio jack?
…and even the audio jack they got wrong, the 4-pin variant. The microphone and ground are swapped.
Since when is cross-brand compatibility wrong? Standardization is there for a reason.
The 30 pin did a lot more than just USB, there was firewire and audio in there too. At the time the small connector of choice was Mini USB, which was all kinds of awful.
Lightning is actually pretty nifty from a user perspective, there is no fragile centre section in the expensive device to snap off, and it fits either way around.
