Beyond iPhones, Apple is looking to switch to USB-C on all its other products with a Lightning connector like the AirPods, Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and more.
A reputable Apple analyst thinks the Cupertino company will make the transition in the “foreseeable future.”
Apple’s accessory portfolio could switch to USB-C in the future
Last week, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that Apple would ditch the Lightning connector and switch to USB-C with 2023’s iPhone 15. A report from Bloomberg then said Apple is indeed internally testing iPhones with USB-C.
Now, in a follow-up tweet, Kuo adds that Apple will drop the Lightning port in favor of USB-C across all its other products, too. Currently, Apple uses the Lightning connector for charging purposes on AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, the Magic portfolio of keyboard, mouse and trackpad, and the MagSafe battery pack for iPhones.
1. Portless iPhone may cause more problems due to current limitations of wireless technologies & the immature MagSafe ecosystem.
2. Other Lightning port products (e.g., AirPods, Magic Keyboard/Trackpad/Mouse, MagSafe Battery) would also switch to USB-C in the foreseeable future. https://t.co/KD14TgBmtr— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) May 15, 2022
Portless iPhone is not a possibility due to wireless charging limitations
The analyst also thinks that a rumored portless iPhone would end up causing problems due to current limitations with wireless charging technologies and the poorly developed MagSafe ecosystem. Apple debuted its MagSafe charging technology with the iPhone 12 series in 2020, but adoption has not occurred at a pace the company could have liked.
Previous rumors indicated Apple would launch a portless iPhone instead of switching to USB-C. However, it looks like a proposed EU law making USB-C the standard charging port on all phones and tablets, coupled with the poor MagSafe adoption, may have forced the company to reconsider its stance.
Apple is the last major smartphone manufacturer that’s yet to jump on the USB-C bandwagon. If Apple is indeed considering switching to USB-C with next year’s iPhone, it would make little sense to continue with the Lightning connector across its other products.
