Apple's Dimensional Drawings (developer.apple.com)

Article summary

Apple provides dimensional drawings and technical specifications for their products, allowing accessory manufacturers to create compatible products. These drawings are available for various Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches. The drawings can be downloaded from Apple's website, and they include detailed measurements and specifications for each device. This information is useful for manufacturers who want to create accessories that fit Apple's products perfectly.

Main themes

• Apple's accessory ecosystem
• Dimensional drawings and technical specifications
• CAD software and industrial design
• Windows VMs on Mac
• EU regulations and commoditization
• Apple's internal infrastructure and server architecture

What commenters say

• The release of dimensional drawings is likely intended to attract accessory manufacturers and encourage them to create products for Apple devices.
• Some commenters believe that Apple may have been forced to release this information due to EU regulations, while others think it is a strategic move to commoditize accessories.
• The use of Windows VMs for CAD work is seen as surprising, given Apple's focus on its own ecosystem, but it may be due to the lack of a suitable first-party CAD solution on Mac.
• Some argue that running Windows in a VM on a Mac can actually be faster and more stable than running it on a PC, due to the quality of Apple's drivers.
• There is speculation about Apple's internal server infrastructure, with some believing that they may use custom servers or tolerate Linux for certain tasks.
• The availability of dimensional drawings may not be a new development, but rather a recent expansion of an existing program.
• Some commenters are surprised that Apple does not have a first-party CAD solution for Mac, given the importance of CAD in industrial design.