Tokyo, 5 November, /AJMEDIA/
Apple did something highly unusual last week: It provided a concrete clue about the iPhone’s future. Company executives confirmed that Apple will comply with the European Union’s mandate that all phones in the region adopt USB-C as the common smartphone charging port in 2024. This means that future iPhones — likely the iPhone 16 and possibly the iPhone 15 — will need to shift away from the Lightning connector that’s existed since 2012.
The transition to USB-C seems inevitable for the iPhone given the EU’s new requirements. Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaking at the Wall Street Journal Tech Live conference, said that the company has “no choice” and that Apple would “comply with local laws” as it does around the world. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the Lightning cable is becoming extinct just yet. The Lightning port may play a bigger role in Apple’s lineup than you might expect, thanks to the multitude of accessories that still use it and the popularity of older iPhones.
It’s no secret that USB-C has become increasingly common on Apple products. It’s present on every iPad in the company’s current portfolio except for the ninth-generation iPad from 2021. You’ll find USB-C ports on Apple’s MacBook Pro and Air lineup as well.
But consumers and tech critics alike have been waiting for USB-C to arrive on the iPhone. An iPhone X that had been modified with a USB-C port even sold for $86,001 on eBay last year. After all, why wouldn’t you want to use the same cord to charge your iPhone, iPad and Mac? The EU’s new mandate represents a step toward a simpler charging experience in the long term. Yet there’s also a chance the transition period could cause some friction as consumers potentially bounce between chargers to power new iPhones alongside legacy accessories.