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For This Year's iPhone, Apple Is Ditching Lightning Connector and Home Button, But Embracing USB Type-C and Curved Display (wsj.com)

Posted by msmash on from the shape-of-things-to-come dept.

Apple has decided to adopt a flexible display for at least one model of the new iPhone, reports WSJ. From the report: People with direct knowledge of Apple's production plans said the Cupertino, Calif., company has decided to go ahead with the technology, and it will release a phone model using the OLED screens this year (Editor's note: the link could be paywalled; alternate source). The technology allows manufacturers to bend screens in ways they couldn't previously -- such as by introducing a curve at the edge of the phone as in some Samsung models. However, once the phone is manufactured, the OLED screen can't be bent or folded by the user, at least with current technology. Using OLED displays would allow Apple to introduce a phone with a new look to fuel sales. They said Apple would introduce other updates including a USB-C port for the power cord and other peripheral devices instead of the company's original Lightning connector. The models would also do away with a physical home button, they said. Those updates would give the iPhone features already available on other smartphones.

15 of 223 comments (clear)

  1. s7 edge by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So they are making an s7 edge without a home button.

    1. Re:s7 edge by Ranbot · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Yeah, who copies whose designs again?

      No kidding.

      The only way Apple could be innovative with edge screens would be if they wrapped around to the back...

      For me personally that feature is a negative, because there are times I purposely place my phone face down to avoid distraction of flashing notifications. When I want my phone to alert me of things, I place it face up [or on vibrate].

    2. Re:s7 edge by radiumsoup · · Score: 3, Funny

      actually, they copied that feature, too, it seems.

      http://www.news.com.au/technol...

  2. frist poast! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    new year new connector new headphones again!

    1. Re:frist poast! by harrkev · · Score: 5, Funny

      What is MOST amazing is that Apple is putting an INDUSTRY STANDARD on an iOS device. Is it snowing in hell yet?

      --
      "-1 Troll" is the apparently the same as "-1 I disagree with you."
  3. Apple finally adopts USB?? by NotInHere · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Has hell frozen over?

    1. Re:Apple finally adopts USB?? by brianerst · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I think the wording on the WSJ article is unclear and the more likely scenario is that the iPhone will continue to have a Lightning port but that the power adapter will have a USB-C port, i.e., a USB-C to Lightning cable will replace the USB-A to Lightning cable.

      This would allow iPhones to plug directly into MacBooks without buying a separate adapter (plus for Apple ecosystem) but require most everyone else to buy a new USB-A to Lightning connector (great for sales).

      I don't know about the data rates over Lightning, but I'd guess it would be more likely that they could tweak that and get the much faster USB-C data speeds as a bonus. Backing up your phone would be much faster.

  4. Another new headphone connector! by nickovs · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If this is true (it seems to be just a rumour) then it will be two years in a row that Apple made users' existing headphones obsolete. That would be brave/arrogant/foolish even by Apple's standards.

    --
    If intelligent life is too complex to evolve on its own, who designed God?
    1. Re:Another new headphone connector! by burtosis · · Score: 4, Funny

      If this is true (it seems to be just a rumour) then it will be two years in a row that Apple made users' existing headphones obsolete. That would be brave/arrogant/foolish even by Apple's standards.

      No, this is a move that takes courage!

    2. Re:Another new headphone connector! by fred6666 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      They should have kept the 3.5mm jack at least until they switch to USB-C (and I would argue even after that). But dropping the 3.5mm jack before switching to a standard digital connector was stupid.

    3. Re:Another new headphone connector! by tlhIngan · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Honestly the sooner they drop lightning and other proprietary connectors the better

      If we stuck to "standard connectors" we'd still be using micro USB. The creation of lightning showed that it's possible to make a more convenient connector for users, and thus we have USB C, whose biggest claim to fame is it goes in either way. Unlike say, a certain 4th dimensional rectangular connector at the other end that doesn't go in until the 3rd or 4th try.

      No, proprietary isn't as good, but sometimes if you want innovation, you have to allow it. If people didn't care about connector orientation, then we wouldn't have USB-C today.

  5. Sealed for freshness by MrLogic17 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sounds like with the addition of wireless charging, lack of headphone jack, and removing the home button - they are on track to make a phone that is a totally sealed slab. Once the last remaining physical connector goes away, it would be trivial to make a waterproof, dust-proof device.

    Side benefit for Apple - even harder to replace the battery.

  6. Hello? Is this thing on? by nightfire-unique · · Score: 5, Interesting

    *Taps mic*

    *Clears throat*

    I have a lot of money to spend on a device, since I only do so every 4 or 5 years.

    Could some "brave" soul please take a break from curving displays, gluing batteries, and adding bling to their phones, and address my market segment?

    I really want to give someone my money.

    For it, you will need to build a device that:

    - Has a user-swappable battery, preferably with an ultracap allowing hot replacement. It's not really a hard to do. - Is too thick. I want pundits to reel. I want trash talk. "What kind of fashionista would buy this?" - Lasts 48 hours on a charge most days, and cannot self-discharge within 16 hours with all radios active and CPU bouncing off the thermal governor - Speaks all radio protocols fluently, with dual sim support - Is IP67 - Has a barometer, thermometer, hygrometer, full IMU with a razor sharp compass, GPS and GLONASS - Has both USB-C and MicroUSB on the bottom - Has great speakers - Has 4gb or 6gb RAM, and the best CPU currently available - No onboard storage.. just two raid1 MicroSD card slots with a battery-backed memory buffer Name your price. Since I don't let carriers leach my money away on phone contracts, nor do I toss out my phone every year, I (and a sizable market of people like me) have a lot of money to spend on a truly flagship device.

    --
    A government is a body of people notably ungoverned - AC
  7. Re:USB-C seems odd by Nemyst · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Removing Lightning would also significantly remove the lock-in factor and their large 3rd party peripherals advantage. Not only would people have to buy iStuff-compatible hardware for the third time in a row (which would most likely lose them some people), the new hardware would support Android phones on a hardware basis, making it quite easy for Google to just add support for the peripherals in Android. Suddenly all of those iPhone exclusive sound docks, car docks and whatever else become universal.

    I frankly don't see that happening. Only thing I can see would be them bundling a USB-C cable and charger at the other end.

  8. Curved screens... by Bartles · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...are a hideous example of function following form. The curve makes it difficult to protect the phone, and do not improve functionality in any way. It's something that needs to go away.