Apple Says "No" To Releasing New Dock Connector Specs 393
sl4shd0rk writes "According to sources, Apple hasn't offered any specs to developers for the new '9-pin Connector' to be used on the next version of the iPhone. Apple has also said it may use 'licensing agreements and threats of lawsuits' to prevent third-party adapters from hitting the market through at least 2012. There have been suggestions that this tactic is to allow Apple time to leverage competition and reap in revenues of $100 million for every 10 million Dock Connector Adapters it sells for $10. It remains unclear whether Apple will allow third-party developers to release competing alternatives after 2012."
Will they attempt this in the EU as well? (Score:5, Interesting)
It may be that they are walking straight into EU regulations with that kind of policy. Vertical monopolies in the supply chain is one of those few things the EU gets extremely aggro about, to the benefit of the market and consumers.
Re:Apple is the new Microsoft (Score:5, Interesting)
Innovative and good technology company
A. Innovative company might not have good technology
B. Companies that have good technology might no longer be innovative
Apple, Inc. used to be in "Category A" when Mr. Jobs were alive
Now, it's in "Category B" and soon, it might end up be neither
Re:Will they attempt this in the EU as well? (Score:4, Interesting)
It may be that they are walking straight into EU regulations with that kind of policy..
Not may. Will. Germany in particular (where most patent litigation is taken in the EU) has a long history of allowing cheap clones of periphericals and consumables. Be it nails, screws, coffee recharges, cables, or otherwise. Ianal, but I'd wager Apple doesn't stand a chance in court if they seek to sue cloned cables out of the market -- especially at that price point.
The most surprising part to me, though, is (assuming the rumors are valid on the new port) that they didn't go for a micro-USB port. The EU directive aimed at getting rid of electronic waste due to redundant and incompatible chargers will shortly make (already makes?) it or an adapter mandatory, so why bother coming up with yet another type of dock connector?
Re:universal connector (Score:4, Interesting)
Well, maybe one data point doesn't disprove your argument, but the way you've framed it, it goes a long way to.
I am the least fashionable person imaginable. I'm a little bit of a lefty and despise brand worship and the creeping corporatism of our age. I abhor labels and typically buy no-name brand jeans from Target.
Oddly enough, I do have an iPhone. I find it well designed, very functional and useful as a phone and portable web browser, music player, gps, camera, and very occasional puzzle and games machine. That's why I have one, it's NOTHING to do with fashion.
Re:universal connector (Score:5, Interesting)
Every point you make can be done with USB. You can transfer streaming audio and video via usb, you can certainly use it to control the volume of an iPod. In fact, the iPods connector is larger, analog and transfers far less data than a modern USB connector could. It is, without question, an inferior connector. If the connector were so superior, why isn't anyone designing their phones to work off the same connection? No one seems bothered about breaching any of apples other patents...
Re:Apple is the new Microsoft (Score:5, Interesting)
Even though Apple hasn't released shit about unreleased products to the mass market except in rare exceptions for over a decade, everyone still thinks that it's news that Apple doesn't just up and scream aloud about features of unreleased products.
Guess what? When they released the 2nd gen iPod that has the dock connector we've been using for 8 years now, they didn't pre-release specs for that either. Yet I'm sure we had the same cynical speculation of "OMG it's not bone-stock FireWire! They're going to squeeze everyone out with proprietary bullshit and sue everyone that tries to use it!"
Never mind that today's dock connector only carries a few of the signals present in the original - gone is the FireWire and the 12v power, long replaced with USB2 and it's 5V DC. HDMI video has been added. Etc.
This is likely Apple deciding that it's time to have a change in the connector that coincides with a change of signal, rather than leaving the connector alone for so long to keep compatibility with 3rd party accessories at the cost of engineering simplicity, and reduction of product size.