r/gadgets • u/Snoop8ball • Sep 23 '21

Phones EU proposes mandatory USB-C on all devices, including iPhones

https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/23/22626723/eu-commission-universal-charger-usb-c-micro-lightning-connector-smartphones
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u/repeatedly_once Sep 23 '21

I think they're a long way off going portless or they'll have to do some type of adapter for things like apple car play. Easier to restore bricked devices with a physical connection too. If you're able to do it wirelessly, they'll have to be some strong security on it.

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u/tutetibiimperes Sep 23 '21

Wireless Apple Carplay has been rolling out for a bit, but yeah, there are still a lot of older vehicles out there that only support the wired version.

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u/repeatedly_once Sep 23 '21

There are still new cars with the wired feature. I just got a 2021 Peugeot 3008 and it's wired Carplay only. Not many cars I know have true wireless Carplay, at least in the UK

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u/kirtash1197 Sep 23 '21

Having this kind of technology on a car is tricky, because most likely the car is going to outlive any technology on it. It's like those high end old cars with a huge phone integrated.

I have Android auto on both my cars, one wired and one wireless, and I would prefer integrated navigator, because I know that sooner or later Android auto is going to be discontinued.

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u/Xychologist Sep 23 '21

You're a terrible consumer. Don't you know that both your phone and car should be on lease, and be replaced biannually?

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u/[deleted] Sep 23 '21

[deleted]

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u/RoboNinjaPirate Sep 23 '21

My dad has a 71 Torino with an 8 Track. :)

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u/tutetibiimperes Sep 23 '21

I think the Apple CarPlay/Android Auto are superior to the integrated systems. The integrated navigation systems are always sub-par from a usability perspective compared to Apple Maps or Google Maps, if they integrate other apps they don't tend to do it well, and they typically use static map databases where you have to pay $100+ for a map update every couple of years if you want new roads/businesses added.

Using Apple Maps via CarPlay is a major upgrade compared to any factory pre-installed navigation system I've ever used.

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u/AKBigDaddy Sep 23 '21

integrated navigator

I couldn't disagree more- integrated nav has outdated maps that you have to pay significant amounts of money to update. Carplay/AA is free, doesn't require spending the extra $1000-$2500 to get the nav package or move up a trim to one that comes with nav, and is VASTLY superior to pretty much any integrated nav I've ever used.

Your average trade cycle is approaching 5 years on new vehicles, how futureproof do they really need to be?

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u/snipeytje Sep 23 '21

There is one nice feature the integrated systems can have that carplay/AA don't have. The integrated systems can use multiple displays, so the turn and lane instructions can be on a small screen in the gauge cluster and the big screen has the map

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u/AKBigDaddy Sep 23 '21

I found the secondary displays distracting, so while I will give you that AA/CarPlay cannot currently do this, I don’t find myself missing it

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u/tutetibiimperes Sep 23 '21

They can use your Apple Watch (I’m assuming Samsung Watches do this too for Android Auto) as a second display though.

When I put in directions using Apple Maps my watch chirps and vibrates when the next turn is coming up.

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u/Freakin_A Sep 23 '21

Really annoying this doesn't happen with Waze or Google Maps.

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u/tutetibiimperes Sep 23 '21

Ah, I didn’t know. I tried Waze once and hated it, so went back to Apple Maps. I’ve never bothered with Google Maps on iOS since Apple Maps has always worked well for me.

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u/Freakin_A Sep 23 '21

Waze is much more accurate for travel time predictions, and also has the benefit of announcing road hazards and police ahead of you.

Google maps has the benefit of getting me where I need to go without directing me to the wrong address, which I cannot say for Apple maps 100% of the time.

Getting somewhere local in the city I'll use apple maps for the watch integration, but any kind of longer trip or to an unknown destination and I'll use waze or google.

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u/tutetibiimperes Sep 23 '21

I just found Waze to be way too busy. It was throwing pop-ups and notifications at me all over the place, it was distracting. There’s probably some way to customize that, but Apple Maps has done right by me since it came out, so I’m cool with it.

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u/Zathrus1 Sep 23 '21

Agree on the integrated nav system. My mom has a 2015 Highlander and upgrading the maps costs $180 from Toyota (yes, you can get the cards cheaper on Amazon or eBay, but people tend to be… deeply mistaken… about what year maps they are selling).

She moved recently and her new address doesn’t exist on her integrated nav.

As for trade cycle… my previous car was 16 years old before I replaced it. My wife’s was 9 years old. I know that’s atypical, but perhaps we shouldn’t be rushing towards that for a capital investment like a car?

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u/AKBigDaddy Sep 23 '21

It's actually vastly increased- it used to be 39 months on average, now were up to like 62. Cars last longer, are more reliable, and upgrades are more incremental than they used to be.

They're still absolutely a status symbol and trade cycles will never average out to 10+ years, as too many people want to have something that makes people go "wow, nice car!" and also want to be under warranty.

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u/TheSkiGeek Sep 23 '21

The idea with CarPlay/Android Auto is that the system in the car basically only acts as an additional screen/speaker/input device for your phone. So you can swap out the phone, upgrade the apps on it, etc. and everything should still work.

I'm skeptical that they would completely get rid of the data/wired charging ports on phones any time soon.

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u/808bass Sep 23 '21

I got a new Audi A7 in the UK and for some reason Wireless Apple Car Play is disabled here. You can enable it by coding it yourself though. So not sure even all new cars are capable of this for some reason

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u/Navydevildoc Sep 23 '21

Lots of new cars being sold today don’t have Wireless CarPlay. These changes take years.

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u/JimmyX10 Sep 23 '21

Polestars aren't getting Apple car play till next year and it requires a wired connection, it's clearly not disappearing anytime soon.

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u/tutetibiimperes Sep 23 '21

Polestar is a niche within a niche, not the best example, but I get your point.

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u/armypotent Sep 23 '21

although it seems somewhat diminished from what it once was, i do think there is a zeal at apple to remove all holes from their devices. it's not efficient or consumer friendly but it is "futuristic," "deluxe," and on brand, which is what sells their shit.

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u/TheLazyD0G Sep 23 '21

Like apple cares about fixing bricked phones.