According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gorman , Apple is currently testing iPhones that replace the Lightning connector with a USB-C port. Gorman claims that even whether Apple decides to go ahead with this change, it won’t happen until 2023 at the earliest. This may indicate that the iPhone 15 will be the first USB-C iPhone to hit store shelves.
USB-C iPhones Could Arrive in 2023
Gurman’s report comes a few days after analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared similar news on Twitter . Responses to one of Kuo’s supply chain surveys have led him to the conclusion that Apple plans to abandon Lightning in favor of USB-C on the iPhone launched in the second half of 2023. This will undoubtedly be the iPhone 15.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen rumors about Apple making this change. In fact, Apple has already adopted USB-C connectors on the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad mini. Looks like it was only a matter of time before the iPhone turned on as well.
Gurman says that Apple is also working on an adapter that would allow future iPhones to put through to accessories designed for the Lightning connector. With Apple Inc.
Gurman also notes that Apple has been working on a portless iPhone in recent years. This will eliminate the need for any charging cables, but there don’t seem to be any rumors or leaks to suggest that the portless iPhone is ready anywhere.
Why is Apple making the switch?
Whether Apple does indeed choose to desert Lightning, it will have less control over the accessory market. As Gurman notes in his report, Apple charges accessory makers to use the Lightning connector and goes through a rigorous approval process. All of this would likely pass away whether Apple moved to USB-C, because it’s not a proprietary technology.
Of course, Apple is unlikely to consider such a major change were it not for the fact that Europe may soon force the company to get rid of Lightning.
