You can't really change the connecter on iPods and iPhones. It would end up pissing people off more than make them happy. One of the reasons people stick with iPods is the fact they have many accessories they have spent money on. LOTS of cars have built in iPod connectors, stereo systems have iPod connectors, boom boxes where I slap my iPod on the built in connector. TONS of things use that connector. And no, you can't exactly say "just make all those devices with USB and it will all be compatible." No, they won't. It will cause more trouble as people plug in their devices and the remote control features won't work because it doesn't know how to work with your device. The brilliant thing about iPods is they all have the same connector AND the same control interface so manufacturers can make things that can control your device .. AND IT WILL WORK.
Apple has changed the spec on the connector before, like when they stopped supporting the firewire rail in the iPhone 3G, rendering any 1st gen iPhone chargers useless. I have an iPhone compatible stereo, but it connects via USB and any other USB device can connect as well, so a switch to mini-USB wouldn't hurt me. Also, there are 30-pin to USB adapters out there.
Nothing would make me happier to rid my electronics of that horrible propietary connector. The only reason i have an iPod is because my car has a connector for one, and it came with it for free, and i got the iPod for free and i dont want to burn CDs. To be honest i think the device is worthless. I Despise the fact that i cant use UMS to throw an mp3 on my car stereo, but i put up with it because the head unit is a nice UI with great audio quality, and i can use floola to bypass having to ever use iTunes.
Apple have made themself a nice little monopoly with that thing, and there are far better connectors. USB, USB mini, hell you can even use wireless with a2dp with most phones for audio, but not when it comes to apple stuff.
My digital camera, phone, calculator, portable hard drive, even playstation controller all use USB mini, the only thing i have an ipod connector for is an ipod. if i leave that one cable behind i cant connect it, but i always have a usb mini lying around because they are so much more useful.
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You can't really change the connecter on iPods and iPhones. It would end up pissing people off more than make them happy. One of the reasons people stick with iPods is the fact they have many accessories they have spent money on. LOTS of cars have built in iPod connectors, stereo systems have iPod connectors, boom boxes where I slap my iPod on the built in connector. TONS of things use that connector. And no, you can't exactly say "just make all those devices with USB and it will all be compatible." No, they won't. It will cause more trouble as people plug in their devices and the remote control features won't work because it doesn't know how to work with your device. The brilliant thing about iPods is they all have the same connector AND the same control interface so manufacturers can make things that can control your device .. AND IT WILL WORK.
Apple has changed the spec on the connector before, like when they stopped supporting the firewire rail in the iPhone 3G, rendering any 1st gen iPhone chargers useless. I have an iPhone compatible stereo, but it connects via USB and any other USB device can connect as well, so a switch to mini-USB wouldn't hurt me. Also, there are 30-pin to USB adapters out there.
Nothing would make me happier to rid my electronics of that horrible propietary connector. The only reason i have an iPod is because my car has a connector for one, and it came with it for free, and i got the iPod for free and i dont want to burn CDs. To be honest i think the device is worthless. I Despise the fact that i cant use UMS to throw an mp3 on my car stereo, but i put up with it because the head unit is a nice UI with great audio quality, and i can use floola to bypass having to ever use iTunes.
Apple have made themself a nice little monopoly with that thing, and there are far better connectors. USB, USB mini, hell you can even use wireless with a2dp with most phones for audio, but not when it comes to apple stuff.
My digital camera, phone, calculator, portable hard drive, even playstation controller all use USB mini, the only thing i have an ipod connector for is an ipod. if i leave that one cable behind i cant connect it, but i always have a usb mini lying around because they are so much more useful.