Samsung used a USB cable for some of its earlier tablets that, on the tablet end, looked identical to an Apple 30-pin plug. However, it was not the same and not interchangeable. Also called a ...

Lightning is one end of the cable, with USB Type A at the other. Introduced in 2012 with the iPhone 5 and new iPods, Lightning superseded the 30-pin dock connector that dates back to 2001.

In 2012, we said goodbye to 30-pin, and Lightning became Apple's main ... But still, the iPhone comes with a Lightning to USB-A cable. So you can't even plug your iPhone into your MacBook without ...