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iOS 4.2 prevents some USB devices from working via Camera Connection Kit

According to 9to5Mac, changes introduced in iOS 4.2 have caused Apple's Camera Connection Kit to become a lot less useful for iPad owners. As of iOS 4.2, the amount of electricity the iPad's 30-pin dock connector can put out has apparently been slashed from 100mA to 20mA. While this is good news for the iPad's battery life, it's bad news for anyone trying to connect almost any unpowered USB gadgetry to the iPad via the Camera Connection Kit; most USB keyboards, flash drives and USB microphones won't work via the Camera Connection Kit anymore. Instead, connecting a USB device that draws more than the allowable 20mA will throw up an error: "The connected USB device requires too much power."

For its original purpose, plugging a self-powered camera into the iPad to upload pictures, the Camera Connection Kit should still function as it always did. Many users were happy at the unexpected ability to use non-camera devices with the kit, and those same users will undoubtedly be dismayed that it's no longer possible. Hopefully this new behavior is a bug rather than a "feature" in iOS 4.2 and something that can be addressed in a future update.



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According to 9to5Mac, changes introduced in iOS 4.2 have caused Apple's Camera Connection Kit to become a lot less useful for iPad owners....
 

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Daniel

I've purchased the Camera Connection kit to download photos from Compact Flash cards via a card reader. Many of the all high-end dSLRs do not use SD cards. It's a waste of my camera's battery to have it plugged in to download directly to the iPad. Please fix in 4.3!!

February 02 2011 at 1:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bnizette

Just confirmed a powered dock works with a standard apple keyboard. But as seen above plugged direct does not work. It therefore has to be a low power issue.

December 15 2010 at 12:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Timo Toivonen

Camera Connection my a*s... can't even plug CF card reader to iPad via USB anymore with 4.2... Quick app switching still beats the need for image download, so I will stick to 4.2 and grind my teeth. Annoying "feature".

December 09 2010 at 11:21 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Fubar

hmmm...I bought the "camera" connection kit to use it as such. All was working fine, and as it was intended to, up until the update. Now the piece of hardware I bought to serve the purpose of moving pictures off my camera onto my iPad does not do what it was purchased to do.

Let's see what the folks at the Apple store have to say when I go to return it. I really don't anticipate a problem there but I may have to let them know I am not happy about this change.

December 07 2010 at 9:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Fubar's comment
Timo Toivonen

I wonder if Apple's warranty allows me to return official camera connection kit to another retailer as I bought the kit from abroad. Does someone know? No boxes left anymore though...

December 09 2010 at 11:20 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
drayoverdrive2

ha! a bug? not allowing users something they want to do and now cant after an "update" is a bug?

mm no. Just Apple being a jerk.

December 07 2010 at 1:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Buzz

A day that will live in infamy!

December 07 2010 at 10:10 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
iRizaL

It's not a bug. Apple wont us to use other device to connect their Camera Kit. Camera Kit purposely use only for direct camera and memory card, apple keyboard and to be closely, all apple product in apple store. That why they call Camera Connection Kit. Not multipurpose connection kit. Just wait, jailbreaker will help us to solve that issue.

December 07 2010 at 9:23 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
David Frantz

It is most likely a bug. I just don't see Apple nakinung iPad not work with it's own hardware on purpose. It is actually kinda dumb. Makes me wonder if a bug report has been filed with Apple.

December 07 2010 at 4:20 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Scott Earle

Would putting a powered hub between the connector kit and the microphone/flashdrive/whatever work? Or does the connector kit not support devices connected to USB hubs?

December 07 2010 at 2:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Scott Earle's comment
Jonathan Isom

I just hooked up my wireless keyboard via a non-powered hub. So A Powered hub should work fine.

December 07 2010 at 2:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mwinterholler

Was anyonereally complaining about the iPad battery life to begin with? I'd possibly agree with hardware damage but ya let's hope to get our 100mA back eh?

December 07 2010 at 1:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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