Adapting to changing circumstances is an important part of living your life – and running your business.
Nothing lasts forever, it’s a simple fact.
Times change, and so does business. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you must learn to adapt. And, because the business landscape is constantly changing, you must be prepared.
“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”
Albert Eintein
Some changes are minor and barely noticeable, while others are significant and generally difficult to process. Whatever type of change occurs, you should learn how to anticipate and adjust your way of thinking.
The best example of a big change right now is the USB-C regulations of the European Union.
The EU has enacted a new law requiring companies to provide a single charging solution for certain electronic devices in an effort to reduce electronic waste and make consumers’ lives easier.
“Under the new rules, consumers will no longer need a different charging device and cable every time they purchase a new device and can use one single charger for all of their small and medium-sized portable electronic devices,” the European Parliament said in a press release.
This law requires the following devices to be compliant:
- Tablets
- Earbuds
- Phones
- Digital cameras
- Headsets
- Video game controllers and handheld consoles
- Earbuds
- E-readers
- Portable speakers
Manufacturers who want to sell smartphones, tablets, e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld video game consoles, and portable speakers (charged via wired cable) in the single market will have to comply with the new rules.
While laptop manufacturers have 40 months after the agreement is published in the EU Official Journal.
And who’s going to be greatly affected by this?
Apple!
The change will have an immediate impact on Apple, as it will have to switch from its proprietary Lightning port to USB-C.
According to Apple’s analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is testing a version of the iPhone with a USB-C port rather than a Lightning port.
Apple argued that switching to USB-C would be wasteful because customers would have to replace their Lightning-charged devices.
Apple is also concerned that the policy will stifle innovation, which the company is known for championing.
“We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world,” the company said.
Apple’s reluctance may be for another reason—control.
Switching to USB-C would imply giving up yet another layer of control over what iPhone owners can do with their devices outside of Apple’s tightly controlled ecosystem.
External factors that affect businesses
There are numerous factors to consider, most of which are beyond your control.
- Government policies on tech and businesses
Governments impose numerous regulations and policies that govern businesses.
Some rules, such as the EU’s USB-C regulations, are mandatory. And, businesses must be adaptable enough to respond to changing regulations and policies.
- Forced change
These changes are imposed on you, which can result in additional time and development, unexpected delays, and problems with your app or technology because something may work today but not tomorrow.
Apple is forced to comply and change its plans. Similar to what small businesses face when developing a tech product or software.
SMBs use external services or parties to leverage what they have developed so they don’t have to start from scratch, but they become dependent on the platforms they choose, such as iOSiOS is the operating system Apple has developed for its mobile and tablet devices (iPhones and iPads). iOS is the... or Android.
And whenever those external services change, it can have a significant impact on what they’re implementing, which means they have to scrap their plans entirely or adjust to the change so their software will work with whatever the changes are.
This relates to software.
You may build a solution using a variety of different Opensource pieces of code, plugins and even other XAAS “X as a Service” solutions.
These are all dependent on your solution to function. If one up or downstream within the chain/system process is to receive an update or has a bugA is old computer term for something that happens in software or an application that is not as expected. Bugs..., this may affect your whole solution.
Business owners have to be prepared and open to external factors that may impact them.
This may in turn have caused your product to change, or forced you to innovate.
- Changing Trends and Technology
Do you recall how Nokia went from being one of the most desired phones to now being virtually unknown?
If so, you most likely understand why Nokia failed. They were unable to modify their business plan for the future; they didn’t adapt well to the change in the industry.
In business, you must think about what will be needed in the future while also being well-versed in the present. Similarly, Apple is not pleased with the USB-C mandate. However, Apple recognizes that this external factor will have an impact on their future, so they must comply.
This also applies to small and medium-sized businesses. They rely on large corporations, and whenever these corporations make changes to their software, apps, plugins, and so on, they must adapt or make necessary changes in order to keep up.
- Competition
Competition can force you to become a better business!
Who is Apple’s biggest competition right now? All of the other techs who are already using USB-C ports, and have no problem with the EU mandate.
Apple’s switch to USB-C: The Benefits
Faster Charging Speeds
The transition to newer generations of USB-C may even enable iPhones to access faster-charging speeds of up to 240W.
The USB-A to Lightning Cable has a power limit of 12W, while the USB-C to Lightning Cable has a power limit of 20W.
However, some products deliver 65W or more with USB-C to USB-C cables, and Apple should catch up.
Faster Data Transfer
Using a USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 port would allow iPhones to transfer data at a theoretical maximum speed of 5 Gbps, ten times faster than the USB 2.0 standard. And anything above will almost certainly be considered a plus.
Enhanced Compatibility with External Displays
In his tweet, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said, “USB-C could improve iPhone’s transfer and charging speed in hardware designs, but the final spec details still depend on iOSiOS is the operating system Apple has developed for its mobile and tablet devices (iPhones and iPads). iOS is the... support.”
With the switch to USB-C, any USB-C monitor on the market can now serve as an external display for your iPhone. This is especially useful if you use your smartphone as an editing machine and want to view the images on a larger screen.
Final thoughts
Everyone should embrace change. Otherwise, there will be negative implications. Businesses that fail to adapt to their surroundings tend to slow down and eventually die or shut down.
Aerion Technologies offers a technology review; this helps business owners future proof their investment by better understanding what may have been built for them.
