Bye, Lightning cable. Hello, USB-C.
Apple is ditching its in-house iPhone charging plug and falling in line with the rest of the tech industry by adopting a more widely used connection standard. A big part of the reason is a European Union common charging rule that’s coming soon for the 27-nation bloc.
Here’s a look at the USB-C plug and what it means for consumers:
Photo: AFP 照片：法新社
WHAT IS USB-C AND HOW CAN I TELL IT APART FROM OTHER PLUGS?
The first part of the acronym stands for Universal Serial Bus, and it replaces earlier versions of the USB cables used on everything from printers and hard drives to computer mice and Kindle readers.
The USB-C plug comes in a different shape than its predecessors — an elongated oval. It’s also symmetrical and reversible, which eliminates one of the common gripes about previous versions like the rectangular USB-A connectors because there’s no wrong way to plug it in.
Photo: Reuters 照片：路透
WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT USB-C?
USB-C cables can carry more power so laptops can be charged faster, and they enable faster data transfer speeds, allowing a big trove of files to be copied from a computer to an external hard drive. At the same time, they can pump out a video signal to a monitor and supply power to connected accessories.
The USB-C connector also is designed to be future-proof. Its shape won’t change but newer versions — and the devices they connect to — will come with upgraded capabilities. That means users will have to beware because older devices might not be able to support the latest specs.
Photo: AFP 照片：法新社
It’s also slimmer than boxy USB-A plugs, making them a better fit for newer devices that keep getting smaller.
WHY IS APPLE USING IT?
Apple has long championed its proprietary Lightning connector for iPhones even though pretty much no one else used it. It resisted the EU’s common charging push, citing worries that it would limit innovation and end up hurting consumers.
Photo: AP 照片：美聯社
Apple held out even as others started adding USB-C connectors into their devices. But after the EU proposal won a key approval last year, the US tech giant gave in and didn’t look back.
A company executive unveiling the latest iPhone on Tuesday last week didn’t even mention the Lightning cable as she introduced its replacement.
“USB-C has become a universally accepted standard so we’re bringing USB-C to iPhone 15,” said Kaiann Drance, vice president of iPhone product marketing.
She said USB-C has “been built into Apple products for years” and can now be used on MacBooks, iPads, iPhones and AirPods.
WHAT ROLE DID EUROPE PLAY?
Apple’s shift is an example of how European Union regulations often end up rippling around the world — what’s known as the “Brussels effect” — as companies decide it’s easier to comply than make different products for different regions.
The EU spent more than a decade cajoling the tech industry into adopting a common charging standard. The push to impose rules for a uniform cable are part of the bloc’s wider effort to make products sold in the EU more sustainable and cut down on electronic waste.
The EU’s common charging rule won’t actually take effect until fall next year. It covers phones, tablets, e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld video game consoles, keyboards and mice, portable speakers and navigation devices.
It also standardizes fast-charging technology and gives consumers the right to choose whether to buy new devices with or without a charger.
(AP)
再見，Lightning傳輸線。哈囉，USB-C。
蘋果正捨棄自家的iPhone充電接頭，採用更廣泛使用的連接標準來與其他科技公司一致。很大一部分原因是歐盟27國即將實施的共同充電規則。
以下為USB-C接頭概觀，及其對消費者的意義：
什麼是USB-C？它跟其他接頭如何區分？
該縮寫詞的第一部分USB代表的是「Universal Serial Bus」（通用序列匯流排），它取代了用於印表機、硬碟、電腦滑鼠和Kindle電子書閱讀器等各種設備的早期USB電線。
USB-C接頭的形狀與其前身不同，而呈細長的橢圓形。它也是對稱的，且兩面都可用，這去除了過去的形式（如矩形USB-A接頭）常為人詬病的一個缺點，因為不會插錯方向。
USB-C有何優點？
USB-C線材可承載更多電量，因此筆記型電腦可以更快充飽電，資料傳輸的速度也會加快，從而可將大量文件由電腦複製到外接硬碟。同時，USB-C可將影像訊號輸出到監視器，並為連接的配件供電。
USB-C接頭的設計也具有未來性。它的形狀不會改變，但其新版本及連接設備的功能將會升級。這表示用戶必須注意，因為舊設備可能無法支援最新的規格。
它還比方方角角的USB-A接頭更細薄，更能適用於體積不斷縮小的新型設備。
蘋果為何採用它？
蘋果的iPhone長期以來一直擁護其專有的Lightning接頭，儘管幾乎沒有別的廠商用過Lightning。蘋果抵制歐盟統一充電接頭的措施，理由是擔心它會限制創新，且到頭來會傷害消費者。
即便其他公司開始在其產品上設置USB-C接頭，蘋果仍堅持己見。但歐盟的提案在去年獲得關鍵批准後，這家美國科技巨頭屈服了，且不再回首。
最新款iPhone上週二發表，蘋果高層主管在介紹替代Lightning的傳輸線時，甚至沒有提及Lightning一詞。
iPhone產品行銷副總裁凱茵．德廉斯說道：「USB-C已成為普遍接受的標準，因此我們將USB-C 引入iPhone 15」。
她說USB-C「多年來一直內建於蘋果產品中」，現在可以在 MacBook、iPad、iPhone和AirPods上使用。
歐洲發揮了什麼作用？
蘋果公司的轉變是歐盟法規最終擴散至全球的一個例子，即所謂的「布魯塞爾效應」，因為公司認為遵守法規比為不同地區製造不同產品更容易。
歐盟花了十多年的時間勸導科技業採用共同的充電器標準。推動實施統一線材的規定，屬於歐盟政策大方向之一，為了使在歐盟銷售的產品更具永續性，並減少電子廢棄物。
歐盟統一充電器的規定要到2024年秋季才會真正生效。它涵蓋手機、平板電腦、電子閱讀器、耳塞式耳機、數位相機、耳機與耳麥、手持電玩控制器、鍵盤及滑鼠、可攜式喇叭與導航設備。
它還標準化了快速充電技術，並賦予消費者選擇權，購買新機時可自行決定是否購買充電器。
（台北時報林俐凱編譯）
A: Apart from the Taipei Music Center’s exhibit and concert, US pop rock band OneRepublic and rapper Doja Cat are touring Kaohsiung this weekend. B: OneRepublic is so popular that after tonight’s show at the K-Arena, they are set to return to Taiwan again in March next year. A: And Doja will also perform at the same venue on Sunday, right? B: Yup. Her collab with Blackpink’s Lisa and singer Raye for the song “Born Again” has been a huge worldwide success. A: Doja even made it on Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” list in 2023. She’s so cool. A: 本週末除了北流的特展和演唱會外，美國男團共和世代和饒舌歌手蜜桃貓朵佳也將來台開唱。 B: 共和世代因太受歡迎，繼今晚高雄巨蛋的演唱會後，預計明年3月即將再度來台巡演唷。 A: 朵佳本週日將在同場地開唱，對不對？
Just like fingerprints, your breathing patterns may serve as a definitive identifier. In a recent study, scientists have demonstrated an astonishing 96.8% accuracy in identifying individuals based on their respiratory patterns. This revelation could open up new possibilities in biometrics and personalized health monitoring. The notion of using individual breathing patterns as a distinct biological signature has long been a topic of discussion within the respiratory science community, yet a practical method for measurement remained elusive. This changed with the invention of a tiny, wearable device capable of extended recording. Researchers deployed a lightweight tube designed to fit inside
In most cities, food waste is often regarded as one of the most troublesome types of waste: it has a high moisture content, spoils easily and produces strong odors. If not handled properly, it can cause serious sanitation and environmental problems. From the perspective of the circular economy, however, food waste is not “useless leftovers,” but rather an organic resource that has yet to be effectively utilized. The core principle of the circular economy is to break away from the linear model of “production–consumption–disposal,” allowing resources to circulate repeatedly within a system and extending their useful life. Food waste occupies a
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日) The study also uncovered a correlation between breathing patterns and mental well-being. Participants with higher scores on anxiety questionnaires exhibited shorter inhalation periods and more frequent breath pauses during sleep. “We intuitively assume that how depressed or anxious you are changes the way you breathe,” says one researcher involved in the study. “But it might be the other way around.” If this proves true, then training people to adjust their breathing may offer a novel approach to managing conditions like anxiety or depression. 該項研究也揭露了呼吸模式與心理健康之間的關聯。在焦慮問卷得分較高的受試者於睡眠期間表現出的吸氣時間較為短促、呼吸中止更為頻繁。一位參與研究的學者表示：「我們直覺地認為憂鬱或焦慮的程度會改變你的呼吸方式，但有可能是反過來的情況。」如果這一假設得到證實，那麼訓練人們調整呼吸的方式，可能會成為管理焦慮或憂鬱等疾病的新穎方法。 What Did You Learn? 1. What problem did scientists previously face when trying to measure breathing patterns? 2.
RSS