Why the shift from firewire?

[sights0d]

What gives? I haven't seen anything which allows a connection via firewire. It takes several minutes to move a video over with USB... I can't help but think something will come out later with firewire, non? Is this just Apple's way of making more money later?

[~tl]

Basically, every Windows PC out there comes with a USB 2 port, a much lower percentage of them come with Firewire ports. Having both interfaces on board is a pain for Apple since they take up more space physically (e.g. an extra chip to handle Firewire) and increase costs. They have been phasing Firewire out of the iPod line for a while now. Since the iPod video it has only been possible to charge with Firewire and not sync, while the new iPhone 3G eliminates the charging ability too. It's highly doubtful that it'll ever be re-added to the iPod or iPhone simply because there isn't a real need for it. While it may be slightly slower than Firewire, USB 2 is fast enough for most users.

[daihard]

They have been phasing Firewire out of the iPod line for a while now. Since the iPod video it has only been possible to charge with Firewire and not sync, while the new iPhone 3G eliminates the charging ability too.
Whoa... does that mean my firewire-based Apple A/C adaptor will not work with my iPhone 3G? The adaptor came with my old iPod mini, and I've been able to use to charge other iPods, such as a 30GB Classic and an iPod touch. That'd tick me off.

[Mephiska]

Yes, none of the firewire chargers work with the iPhone 3g. Yes, it ticked me off too, its a big deal for a lot of people.

[daihard]

Yes, none of the firewire chargers work with the iPhone 3g. Yes, it ticked me off too, its a big deal for a lot of people.
Thanks... that sure sucks. At the very least, Apple included this small USB power adaptor...

[wallisj]

Also, the power from a firewire port is different than a USB2.0 port ... therefore to charge from both sources apple would need to include 2 sets of power regulator circuits ... therefore, to make devices smaller and/or more feature rich they make compromises in what they include in the hardware ...

[jhollington]

Correct. FireWire charges via 12VDC, whereas USB is 5VDC.

Any "Made-for-iPhone" certified accessories, even from the original iPhone will charge the iPhone 3G just fine, as 5VDC USB charging would have been a requirement of that program.

Likewise, at some point Apple enforced the same standards for the "Made-for-iPod" program, so any MFI-certified charging accessories designed/manufactured since early 2007 should also be fine.

The problem, of course, is that a lot of people own older charging accessories, and some of these did use the 12VDC leads to charge. The most common of these are vehicle adapters, since it's easier to take the 12VDC that comes right out of the car's electrical system and just use it as-is. Again, however, any newer vehicle chargers that carry the Made-for-iPod logo should have no problem with USB-only charging, since it's been Apple's desire to phase out FireWire charging for some time, and the iPhone 3G is likely just the first shot at this -- a move that also makes sense considering that there is a separate "Made-for-iPhone" accessory program.

Of course, if you're buying cheaper "no-name" iPod chargers from unauthorized accessory manufacturers, then all bets are off, of course.

Keep in mind that Apple has not even sold a FireWire-syncing iPod in almost three years now. Charging capabilities were left in as a transitional thing due to the number of older accessories out there (including Apple's own iPod Hi-Fi speakers), but I always suspected they were merely waiting for the accessory market to catch up before dropping it completely.

[daihard]

Also, the power from a firewire port is different than a USB2.0 port ... therefore to charge from both sources apple would need to include 2 sets of power regulator circuits ... therefore, to make devices smaller and/or more feature rich they make compromises in what they include in the hardware ...
The 1st-gen iPhone and iPhone 3G are the exact same size, aren't they? What did Apple need to add to the iPhone 3G that forced them to exclude the Firefire power regulator circuits?

Any "Made-for-iPhone" certified accessories, even from the original iPhone will charge the iPhone 3G just fine, as 5VDC USB charging would have been a requirement of that program.
My Firewire-based power adaptor may not be "Made-for-iPhone," but it was made and sold by Apple for the iPod.

Keep in mind that Apple has not even sold a FireWire-syncing iPod in almost three years now.
If you ask me, three years is not long enough for one standard to be gone. Has Apple officially warned us that Firefire will become deprecated by year 20xx?

[Dyvim]

The 1st-gen iPhone and iPhone 3G are the exact same size, aren't they? What did Apple need to add to the iPhone 3G that forced them to exclude the Firefire power regulator circuits?
Three 3G radio bands + GPS chip + possibly a larger battery (not sure if this last is accurate).

[jhollington]

The 1st-gen iPhone and iPhone 3G are the exact same size, aren't they? What did Apple need to add to the iPhone 3G that forced them to exclude the Firefire power regulator circuits?
As the poster above noted, more radio antennae and hardware.

It's also possible that there may have been issues with the existing 12VDC circuit design interfering with the new radio hardware, and it was easier to exclude it than to re-engineer it.

My Firewire-based power adaptor may not be "Made-for-iPhone," but it was made and sold by Apple for the iPod.
Yes, but how long ago was it made?

Apple's own iPod Hi-Fi is in the same boat, and it was a LOT more expensive than a power adapter.

If you ask me, three years is not long enough for one standard to be gone. Has Apple officially warned us that Firefire will become deprecated by year 20xx?
Well, if Apple pulls the same thing with their iPods that will definitely be nasty. Then again, considering what they did last year with the video accessory lockout, it would not surprise me in the least, since that was a very deliberate decision on their part to render a whole generation of accessories incompatible.

Right now, however, they seem to be leaving this in the domain of the iPhone, so they can use the (admittedly feeble) excuse of saying that only accessories that are "Made-for-iPhone" are guaranteed to work.