Government mandating tech changes

[Dave Gray]

I would have put this in the "things you've changed your mind on over time" thread, because this is one thing that I wouldn't have liked when I was young, but now I'm for it.

So, in Europe, the government is mandating that you create new cell phones to all charge with a universal USB-C adapter.  This has a few added benefits -- lowers costs, more convenient for consumers, but potentially hurts business (apple can't have their own proprietary technology and sell their cables and dongles at a premium) and one could argue that it could hamper technological improvement, I suppose.

I would have previously wanted the free market to make this change on its own and allowed technology to prevail.  However, I see, in this case, that it's just not gonna happen, so I'm for mandating the uniformity.  The incentive to protect proprietary charging and the money that comes from it is too high for Apple to "do the right thing" for its customers.  Why would they?  They own enough market-share that they're not going to lose business.

Also, the writing is on the wall that USB-C is 1) good enough and 2) the future is wireless charging anyway.

So, I hope the USA follows suit.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Is there some technological benefit to Apple having their weird adapters or is it just so they can keep banging out their consumer base?

[Dave Gray]

Is there some technological benefit to Apple having their weird adapters or is it just so they can keep banging out their consumer base?

I don't think there is, as it stands, but I think that there theoretically could be.

It doesn't even have to be Apple.  They use lightning-wire currently and they're the only ones that have it.  I think USB-C is better at this point, or at least the same.

But let's say some other phone maker comes out with a better charging tech that USB-C -- they have to incentive to develop that tech, because they're mandated to use the old stuff.  It's tech-killing, arguably.  However, in this specific case, the wired charging tech for phones is pretty clearly on the way out anyway, so I don't think there's much improvement to be had.  We're all moving to wireless solutions, so a single uniform charger will probably benefit consumers.  They could come standard in cars, for example -- no need for dongles and adapters and all that.

[Phishfan]

In this particular instance, I don't care. I only have an iPhone because work uses them. I prefer Android.  I guess it would be nice to just use one cable though.

[masterfins]

I really wish there could be a mandate about making conforming batteries for tools.  Whether it's Dewalt, Ryobi, Balck + Decker, Kobalt, etc. I wish there could be some sort of conformity for tools.  Even within one brand there are so many different sizes and connectors; then they "change" the tool and start using a new battery type, so when the battery you have for a tool won't recharge anymore you can't get a replacement battery (or they are damn expensive) so you end up having to buy a new tool, even though it still works, because you can't get a battery.

[Spider-Dan]

But let's say some other phone maker comes out with a better charging tech that USB-C -- they have to incentive to develop that tech, because they're mandated to use the old stuff.

"Phone makers" didn't develop USB-C, or micro-USB, or mini-USB.  They just piggybacked on the development of USB from other manufacturers; development which is still ongoing with USB-C.  Note that the original USB-A connector that we all know and love was rated at 12 Megabit/sec when it was released in 1998, but the current implementation (USB 3.1) that still uses the same connector is over 800 times faster.  You can still develop a better connection technology while using the same connector.

[CF DolFan]

I can't even begin to understand why Big Gov would be allowed to get involved with the free market. Buy Apple if you want and if you don't there are much cheaper alternatives.

[Spider-Dan]

Do you think Ford should be allowed to sell trucks that only work with Ford-brand gasoline?
Did you have a problem with Microsoft making it harder to install competing web browsers on Windows?
Do you have a problem with Twitter or YouTube banning people who violate their terms of service?

[Fau Teixeira]

I can't even begin to understand why Big Gov would be allowed to get involved with the free market. Buy Apple if you want and if you don't there are much cheaper alternatives.

This was the EU and they can mandate whatever they want to mandate. American misplaced sensibilities aside, if you want to see how a government can work for the people and not for the corporate donors, look at the EU.

[CF DolFan]

Do you think Ford should be allowed to sell trucks that only work with Ford-brand gasoline?
Did you have a problem with Microsoft making it harder to install competing web browsers on Windows?
Do you have a problem with Twitter or YouTube banning people who violate their terms of service?

-Ford can run on whatever they want and the market will decide how that works out for them. It isn't like they would make a new thing that older fords can't use as there is a huge market for it.
- Again .... Microsoft can do whatever and the market will decide if they want to keep buying them.
- Twitter & YouTube are completely different, and predictably irrelevelant, to this conversation. Social media is a hybrid animal that is almost a public news cycle. Like Jack Dorsey has admitted .. there has been a left leaning bias for years. I'm not 100% sure that "social media" or media in general should be edited to make people only think one way without admitting it publically. 

This was the EU and they can mandate whatever they want to mandate. American misplaced sensibilities aside, if you want to see how a government can work for the people and not for the corporate donors, look at the EU.

Hahha ... if that was the case then all of you would be flocking to there instead of staying here. I can't evdn count the number of people who threatened to leave this country if "so and so" happened and yet almost no one ever does. Must not be as bad as people like to pretend it is.

[Fau Teixeira]

Hahha ... if that was the case then all of you would be flocking to there instead of staying here. I can't evdn count the number of people who threatened to leave this country if "so and so" happened and yet almost no one ever does. Must not be as bad as people like to pretend it is.

You're an intelligent person, it isn't a cut and dry issue. I know people that have moved to europe. My parents moved there for free healthcare and to stretch their retirement money.

Regardless of the whole "if you don't like it here leave" approach you have, which really makes very little sense. You can look at something, see what's working better or worse and use that to improve your life.  If I say, the EU GDPR laws are light years ahead of the US laws with regards to digital privacy and data mining. The response should maybe be "hey what can we learn from these laws and how would they benefit us as a society" rather than "if you don't like it here, move there .. if you don't then it's great .. lol".

Fact of the matter is, we should be learning from countries that are doing something better than we are and learning what doesn't work from countries that are doing worse.

[Spider-Dan]

-Ford can run on whatever they want and the market will decide how that works out for them. It isn't like they would make a new thing that older fords can't use as there is a huge market for it.
- Again .... Microsoft can do whatever and the market will decide if they want to keep buying them.
- Twitter & YouTube are completely different, and predictably irrelevelant, to this conversation. Social media is a hybrid animal that is almost a public news cycle.

And suddenly the free market isn't good enough!

If you don't like Twitter, use Gettr or Truth Social!  If you don't like YouTube, use Vimeo or DailyMotion!  Let the market decide!
Why is it that the market can be trusted completely when we are talking about your car that you literally rely on to put food on the table and a roof over your head, and also regarding the operating system of your computing devices on which you carry out your critical daily business (as well as using Twitter and Youtube), but the moment conservatives start getting banned from social media, suddenly The Government Needs To Step In and make sure that your voice is heard on Twitter (and not, say, Gab instead)?

Consider the following two scenarios:

1) Microsoft makes it hard to install the Netscape browser and constantly steers you towards Internet Explorer
2) Apple makes it hard to install the Parler app and constantly steers you towards the Twitter app

Which one of those is the cream rising to the top of the free market, again?

[CF DolFan]

And suddenly the free market isn't good enough!

If you don't like Twitter, use Gettr or Truth Social!  If you don't like YouTube, use Vimeo or DailyMotion!  Let the market decide!
Why is it that the market can be trusted completely when we are talking about your car that you literally rely on to put food on the table and a roof over your head, and also regarding the operating system of your computing devices on which you carry out your critical daily business (as well as using Twitter and Youtube), but the moment conservatives start getting banned from social media, suddenly The Government Needs To Step In and make sure that your voice is heard on Twitter (and not, say, Gab instead)?

Consider the following two scenarios:

1) Microsoft makes it hard to install the Netscape browser and constantly steers you towards Internet Explorer
2) Apple makes it hard to install the Parler app and constantly steers you towards the Twitter app

Which one of those is the cream rising to the top of the free market, again?

I still think that's their perogative and I can move on to something else that meets my needs. No one is forced to use Microsoft etc.

I admit the whole social media thing is questionable but it is a different animal altogether. It definitely isn't a black and white argument for me. I think we can all admit it is truely a blessing and a curse to this and other countries.

If Musk decided to make twitter a Trump rally and limited Obama's reach I would have just as much of an issue but I really have no issue with MSNBC & FOX leaning heavily towards party bases because it's kind of out in the open. Shadow banning, banning altogehter and/or forcing people to only see one perspective when they think they are seeing the whole story is dangerous. We as a society have enough things to manipulate our feelings already.

For the record I'm excited about where CNN is supposedly heading. Just the news. Keep "party branding" out of your mouth and only report "breaking news" when it is in fact breaking news.

[Dave Gray]

"Phone makers" didn't develop USB-C, or micro-USB, or mini-USB.  They just piggybacked on the development of USB from other manufacturers; development which is still ongoing with USB-C.

Right, but my whole point was that if Apple DID create some new fancy-shmancy iCHARGER that was way better than USB-C, they would be allowed to implement it.  That's not happening in this case, but I guess that's one of the theoretical pitfalls of government involvement.

[Spider-Dan]

The problem is that in frequent practice, companies with an established customer base do not choose to innovate and advance the technology. Instead, they choose to "innovate" in ways that make it more difficult and annoying for existing customers to leave their ecosystem.  That's what led to these kinds of regulations in the first place.