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I also have a problem with it, but for the opposite reason as Apple.
They want it to be USB Type C as far as I know. USB is a proprietary standard controlled by a private organization. If there is to be a mandated standard, it must be open source and freely implementable, otherwise you're basically just funneling money into an organization, licensing money no less, they're not even doing anything meaningful for manufacturing the charge connectors.
No, isn't USB 4 (USB-C) an open standard which is why it is cheaper to produce than Thunderbolt and others? See https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/usb-4-everything-you-need-to-know/.
Remember that international standards bodies approve open standards, but for some reasons they seem to copyright their documentation, like ISO standards. There is a lot of pressure for open standards documentation to also be fully open and available.
USB-C and USB 4 different, USB-C is the physical connector while USB 4 is the protocol used to exchange information.
USB 4 is half proprietary half open (the licensing is very hard to understand on purpose) but i can't find much on USB-C licensing
So is it open hardware or not?
I don't know that I have a real problem with USB, of all the issues going on in the tech world. Like, there's no group that's making an open competitive solution, and do you even see the need? As far as choices go, the EU seemed to have made a pretty sane decision on this one.
What's even better about this is Apple being shown the door with their ultra-proprietary crap. They can take their e-waste to hell with them - but they'd probably need a dongle to interface with hell. (Honestly, I have no opinion on this... lol)
Ok, there is no open source hardware alternative.
What can be done to start one, gather people capable of making the first alpha prototype, and then attract others to improve it? (unfortunately i don't have the required skills)
Is there an open hardware alternative?
Apple can keep its closed ecosystem for all I care. People should only realize that they can break out of it to regain their freedom