Apple Backing Away From FireWire

farmdwg was one of several readers to submit stories about Apple backing away from FireWire. The latest generation of iPods no longer ship with FireWire cables, but instead use USB 2... although FireWire can still be purchased seperately.

Comments

So why not offer the purchaser an option?

[KiltedKnight]

Give them the option to either get a USB 2.0 or an IEEE 1394 cable with their iPod. If they want the opposite, they have to buy it.

Flexibility is a good thing.

Re:So why not offer the purchaser an option?

[mrpuffypants]

Because even one extra SKU at retail is a bitch to work with compared to just shipping USB2 with everything. Think about it:

4 colors of iPod Mini in two sizes (4&6GB): 8 SKUs
4 colors of iPod Mini in two sizes (4&6GB) with USB/FW option: 16 SKUs.

All of this includes subtle changes to packaging, manufacturing, and support. IT's far nicer for Apple to say "Here's USB. If you like Firewire go buy a cable for it, after all, it'll still work"

Re:Backing Away?

[daveschroeder]

So Apple's "backing away" from the dock, then?

I mean, they must be, since no longer include a dock with most of the iPods.

They also must be backing away from alternating current power, since they don't include an AC adapter with iPod mini any longer.

...

Re:Backing Away?

[Otter]

If anything, the news here is that Apple is selling a significant share of iPods to a) PC owners and b) not just gadget-freak PC owners with new, fully tricked-out systems but run of the mill PC owners.