The Imaginative and prescient Professional’s battery has a secret connector, meet the “fats” Lightning cable
Why it issues: Apple’s new Imaginative and prescient Professional headset is ready for launch tomorrow, February 2, however forward of that, a lot of publications had been allowed to publish their hands-on previews. Whereas these principally reward the headset’s spectacular {hardware} and immersive visuals, one inconspicuous element seemingly handed below everybody’s radar.
A brand new discovery on the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional by eagle-eyed tech sleuth Ray Wong is making waves. Because it seems, the headset’s battery cable might be simply eliminated utilizing a SIM eject device. This got here as a shock for the reason that pack seems completely hooked up at first look. However pop the cable out and you will find what appears like a souped-up Lightning connector.
The cable seems to have a 12-pin connector, making it notably wider than the ill-fated 8-pin Lightning cable – though, fortunately, it nonetheless appears leaner than the 32-pin monstrosity that juiced up the iPhone 4. However what is the take care of this sneaky detachable cable? There are a few doable explanations for this design selection.
l used a SIM card push pin to “unlock” the cable linked to the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional battery pack. It popped proper out. pic.twitter.com/tShScpMlvr
– Ray Wong (@raywongy) January 31, 2024
Essentially the most sensible one is that it is for servicing and repairs. If the cable will get broken, there’d be no want to switch your complete battery – simply swap out the cable and also you’re good to go. Given Apple’s focus on sustainability as of late, an simply replaceable half is sensible. The identical goes if the battery stops holding sufficient cost after a yr or two of use. You would not need to get a brand new cable.
However why undergo the difficulty of constructing an entire new proprietary connector that appears similar to Lightning? It is doable that Apple being Apple, desires to discourage the usage of third-party batteries. So if you wish to exchange the cable or battery down the street, you may in all probability need to buy an authentic half.
… however that interprets to much less management for Apple.
No matter the actual motivation, it is an amusing discover. It might’ve been rather a lot cooler and extra consumer-friendly if the Imaginative and prescient Professional merely used a regular USB-C cable that labored with any off-the-shelf battery pack. However that interprets to much less management for Apple.
For now, the Imaginative and prescient Professional’s fats Lightning cable stays a thriller. Perhaps it is simply an engineering quirk, or maybe it is a new try by Apple to retain customers of their walled backyard. Both method, count on a lot extra surprises as folks dig additional into this [don’t call it VR/AR] gadget.
