Apple has finally released the Lightning port for iPhones, iPads and other devices after years of use. Forced to switch to USB CThanks in part to the European Union, it is now possible to do so. In many ways, that’s a good thing for users, but you don’t believe it’s going to be a seamless transition, do you?
It’s not. The review of the new iPad 10th-generation was published. The Verge reports that the USB-C implementation “is limited to USB 2.0 data speeds and 4K 30Hz (or 1080p 60Hz) external displays.” USB 2.0 data speed is 480Mbps, which, coincidentally, is the data speed of Lightning. So it’s almost like Lightning never left.
What about the iPad Air, iPad Pro and iPad mini? They all have USB-C connectors, but they don’t have the same data speed restriction as the 10th-gen iPad. The iPad Pro has a Thunderbolt implementation USB-C, so it can transfer speeds of 40Gbps. The iPad Air is rated at 10Gbps and the iPad mini at 5Gbps. Macworld is currently testing the 10th generation iPad. A full review will be available soon.
There’s been some buzz by analysts, pundits, and journalists (including us) who say that the The iPad lineup is confusing. Actually, the 10th-gen iPad’s USB-C data rate adds a little bit of clarity. You might be transferring data frequently to and from your iPad Air via a wired connection. The Lightning-based 9th generation iPad, which Apple still sells, and the USB C-based 10th generation iPad are slower than the iPad Air’s data rates. However, you still must figure out the differences in colors, displays, Apple Pencil support, and processors–it makes us long for the days of the Quadrant.
Apple also confirmed it would be Switch to USB C iPhones, maybe as soon as iPhone 15.
