iPhone 3.0 Breaks Accessory Compatibility

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.9to5mac.com/ipod-touch-video-cable-3.0-updated-broken-3rd-party' target='_blank'>http://www.9to5mac.com/ipod-touch-v...roken-3rd-party</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"For those who have their iPod Touch or iPhones connected to their TVs through a third party video cable, the 3.0 update was a bad one. It appears to have disabled the ability of non-Apple cables to transmit video."</em></p><p><em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1246859965.usr105634.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></em></p><p>Owners that try to use the cable get the <em>"not a valid accessory"</em> message on their iphone. If you have the apple chip accessory cable, it appears to still work although in a different way. Now when you play video it does NOT display on your iPhone screen. This is one of the things I hate about upgrades, expensive accessories not working correctly. The only option at this point is to downgrade to previous version of the iPhone software, but I don't think it is worth losing all the functionality of 3.0 software.&nbsp;</p>

[ptyork]

Ah the woes of quasi-monopolistic power. I wonder what benign excuses Apple will come up with to excuse this? :) The 3G broke all 3rd party docks/car adapters by removing firewire charging support. Now they have actually gone even further as this seems to be a firmware change which can't even be fixed with a converter plug. IMO, when you change the connector, CHANGE the connector. Pretending to maintain backwards compatibility is dishonest. I wonder how they'll support the new Euro-standard MicroUSB? I'm guessing they'll ship with an adapter. :(

By the way, in response to the Greenpeace article earlier, THIS is why they are targeted. Now we have millions of docks, car adapters, video cables, etc. that are useless (and thus must be placed in landfills and replaced with newly manufactured/packaged/shipped/warehoused/delivered ones). All the while claiming to be "green." Until I got my iPhone, I had a Nokia which used the same adapter as my wife's which was the same as my 4 year-old phone which was the same as my 7 year-old phone which was the same as my 10 year-old phone. Never had to buy a different wall charger or car charger. They only changed recently to MicroUSB.

If your proprietary plug provides some kind of superior functionality, fine (the dock connector didn't really, but let's assume). Then at least keep it the same over time to support your users and your ecosystem. If you can't even do that, then shame on you. Almost as bad as that stupid "I'm-greedy-for-accessory-revenue" headphone remote on the shuffle...