Apple to soon adopt Light Peak?

Posted on Sunday, February 20 2011 @ 21:07 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck

CNET claims Apple will soon reveal a new high-speed connection technology. It's most likely to be Intel's Light Peak technology, but under a different name because Apple wants to distinguish itself from other PC makers.

Whether the new connector tech will be part of the upcoming MacBook Pro update (rumored to happen February 24) or announced in another context is not clear. Intel has been working on a technology called Light Peak for years and recently said the initial version would be based on copper, as practical realities dictate more conventional technology.

Apple is expected to adopt this technology in the near future--but likely use a name other than Light Peak, a source familiar with this aspect of Apple's plans said. Intel has said in the past that the first products using Light Peak should appear in the first half of 2011.

About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.

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Re: Apple to soon adopt Light Peak?
by Anonymous on Monday, February 21 2011 @ 16:20 CET

Too little, too late...

10Gb/s sounds like a lot and it is. But it is only 2x as fast as the top end USB 3 speed. You won't "use" that speed in but a few rare cases. And to get it you sacrifice backward compatibility with USB 2.0 connections and you get no power transmission which means many connected devices will need their own power brick. That's a lousy tradeoff for speed you can't really make use of.
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Apple is still plying a trade it needs desperately to rid itself of in the PC arena, "individuality". Apple gained huge leaps and strides when it adopted the standard x86 platform. But this move seems like it failed to take the hint from that market response. They need to keep their unique and very human method of interfacing with customers, building great OS's and very personal devices that are easy to use, while still maintaining the industry standards in the core electronics and attached devices that allow them to simultaneously be a participant in the collective of the electronics household/business. Making "unique" hardware and connection types that offer NOTHING to the end user enhances their uniqueness but drives them away from the mainstream. Firewire was a good example. It has become a useful standard to a tiny, next to pointless collection of devices. And any device that uses it, assures itself of pretty much ONLY connecting to Apple devices (generally speaking). That is a waste of effort, and lowers your sales, and is 100% a grade failure from any Business School graduate's list of do's and don't's.
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Apple and Intel (for better or worse in terms of connection quality) need to just get on board with USB 3 and "get over it" on the "we didn't design it in our house" thinking. USB 3 has a "optical option" that goes to the same speed, but the USB 3 forum decided it didn't make sense yet. That should speak volumes to Intel and Apple. There will be a time for Lightpeak and similar faster connections, but that is a 3-5 years out and by then the design will probably want to go to 20Gb/s just to show enough measureable speed gain over USB 3 (copper) to be relevant to the market at that time. For now USB 3 gives an amount of speed that many won't need, and "enough" ability to keep the entire marketplace consistent and keeps consumers coming to the market without forcing them to worry about whether they will be cornered into a technology choice in making their purchase.

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