Days after a Kickstarter project was cancelled due to Apple’s rules regarding its Lightning adapter, the project is back on track. On Thursday of last week, the successfully funded effort for the POP charger was effectively shut down because Apple didn’t want its new charger to be integrated in any device that also used other types of chargers. In an email to project backers — I was one of the many — one of the project’s founders, Jamie Siminoff, shared the good news:
As you know on Thursday we sent you an update that because of Apple’s rules around Lightning we would be canceling POP. The story got A LOT of news and reactions, way more than we could have ever imagined. In fact it became such big news that 24 hours after we posted Apple changed their guidelines for Lightning.
It was an incredible turn of events for us. We never could have imagined that we would be able to change Apple’s rules.
Based on Apple’s change we can make POP the way we had promised and the project is back on. We will not be processing refunds and are going full speed ahead to produce and deliver the product to you ASAP.
POP was always meant for multiple devices and is designed with Apple’s 30-pin interface as well as micro-USB ports. Inside the POP is a large battery, which is used to recharge tablets and phones a number of times before the unit itself needs to be recharged. Several charging cables enable the POP to recharge several devices at once.
I never quite understood why Apple’s guidelines wouldn’t allow for its new Lightning adapter to be used in a device that also has other charging or data interfaces. It felt like a heavy-handed move without any physical or technical reasons behind it.
Regardless of whether this was a strategic business decision initially, or simply some type of administrative oversight, it’s good to see Apple change the guideline. Not only will the 1,000 POP backers be happy, but consumers for future products that use multiple charging or data interfaces will be as well.
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