Apple Adjusts Lightning Spec Following POP Kickstarter Complaint

As reported in CNet Apple reacted today to news of the imploding Kickstarter campaign by Edison Junior for their POP charger.  Yesterday Jamie Siminoff, CEO of Edison Junior and POP project lead, published a Kickstarter update informing their funders the project was being cancelled and all funds returned due to the change to the Lightening cable.  Previously the POP charger was being engineered to work with the previous, 30 pin technology, which was replaced in the most recent iPhone 5 released in the fall.

Apple subsequently announced they would allow for products like POP to function with both Lightening and 30 pin connectors.

“Our technical specifications provide clear guidelines for developing accessories and they are available to MFi licensees for free,” Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told CNET. “We support accessories that integrate USB and Lightning connectors, but there were technical issues that prevented accessories from integrating 30-pin and Lightning connectors so our guidelines did not allow this.”

Ars Technica reached out to Siminoff for additional feedback and he is quoted as saying,

“If it has to be an Apple-only product, and Lightning can’t be next to, say, an Android charger, then it’s still not something we want to make, Siminoff said after hearing the news about Apple’s updated guidelines. “I hope they become customer friendly. Maybe we will be able to do [the POP charger] after all.”

In the Kickstarter Update section for comments on POP funders were still debating events.  Siminoff again commented declaring more indecision as to next steps from the Edison Junior crew.

Hear you all loud and clear. Honestly we are figuring out what to do next. We really thought today was the end of POP and maybe that was a mistake.

Thanks for all of your comments (even the less flattering ones) as they do help.

One of the benefits, as well as challenges, for Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns is that many project backers truly feel married to the project they have funded.  Deep disappointment is not always accompanied by empathy and understanding by the funders.