Apple to switch from their Lightning connector to USB-C.

Apple to move from lightning charger to USB-C format for iPhones
By Aislinn Murphy FOXBusiness
Published September 8, 2023 1:10pm EDT

Apple will reportedly soon change how its next models of iPhones charge.

The California-based tech giant will pivot the upcoming iPhone 15 to the USB-C format, forgoing the Lightning port of past models, CNN Business and other outlets reported. iPhones have sported the Lightning charger since 2012. The change will apply to all the upcoming iPhone 15 models, according to some reports.

Apple isn’t a stranger to the USB-C port, with some devices put out by the company already utilizing it. Those include MacBooks and iPads.

The European Union’s parliament announced in late 2022 it had passed a law mandating the incorporation of a USB-C charging port for "all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU." Companies will have to comply with that measure by 2024’s year-end, it said. Under the regulation, laptops in the EU will also become subject to the USB-C requirement in 2026.

The reports of Apple adding the USB-C format to its iPhone 15 comes ahead of the California-based company’s "Wonderlust" event on September 12. Many predict that the iPhone 15, as of yet not officially announced, will get its introduction then.

Fox Business

It's about damn time!

Finally!!

They also need to get with the program on their other cables.

Last year I got the wife a 13" MacBook Air. This summer, I replaced my old laptop and got another 13" MacBook Air. A few days after getting it, I went to charge it and grabbed the wife's cable which was nearby. To my surprise, it was different and not compatible with mine. WTF!?

^Sounds like the old 30-pin flat connector vs. the more compact Lightning connector. And now that's changing. Hard to keep up, isn't it?

People are happy about cables being obsoleted?

Get with the program.... want to use our products then when we change something then you will have to follow suit.. If not get left behind or change to a different company/format....Computers are going to be the ruination of us all and we cannot stop it. ....... drill sgt.

In the medium to long term it’s much better to need fewer connectors. I will not miss the Lightning connector. Lint in pocket gets in the socket. I will be happy to only need USB-C cables.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
People are happy about cables being obsoleted?

In this case: Yeah.

Most of the rest of the mobile device world has gone to USB-C. It's mainly been only Apple that's been the odd man out. And, even then, a couple of Apple's newer products have gone to USB-C.

So, yeah: While I'm not exactly pleased by having to replace all my cables when we eventually upgrade to new iThings, it will be nice to have one cable for everything--two, at the most. (Some stuff still uses a micro-USB connector.)

As it currently stands: When my wife and I go on a trip we have to have Lightning, USB-C, and Micro-USB cables.

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
In the medium to long term it’s much better to need fewer connectors. I will not miss the Lightning connector. Lint in pocket gets in the socket. I will be happy to only need USB-C cables.

Re: “Lint in pocket gets in the socket.”
I don’t see why a USB-C socket would be better in that regard than a Lightning socket. What am I missing?

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
In the medium to long term it’s much better to need fewer connectors. I will not miss the Lightning connector. Lint in pocket gets in the socket. I will be happy to only need USB-C cables.

Re: “Lint in pocket gets in the socket.”
I don’t see why a USB-C socket would be better in that regard than a Lightning socket. What am I missing?

The lightning cable pocket is notorious for compiling lint and causing charging issues with the fragile by comparison charging strips. They are also far more prone to cable wear and failure at the phone plug side.

So Yurp says the USB-C is required. That'll really help with innovation.

Do people still use cables for charging? Seems induction coils can be used/installed anywhere. I have one in the dash of my '88 Suburban.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
Re: “Lint in pocket gets in the socket.”
I don’t see why a USB-C socket would be better in that regard than a Lightning socket. What am I missing?

You'll be missing the part where you can wipe any moisture/debris off of the lightning cable connectors before inserting it in to the device.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
The lightning cable pocket is notorious for compiling lint ...

I can attest to that.

I don't recall ever having had that problem with prior phones that used micro-USB connections.

^^^^^^
My iPhone 5, X, and 12 had/have the Lightning port. Also, two AirPods cases. I’ve never had ANY port problem with any of them. Maybe clean living.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
People are happy about cables being obsoleted?

I like the FireWire. It plugs in either way and I’ve never had a single issue with them ever.

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:
So Yurp says the USB-C is required. That'll really help with innovation.

Do people still use cables for charging? Seems induction coils can be used/installed anywhere. I have one in the dash of my '88 Suburban.

It's not just charging. Lightning is stuck at USB 2.0 speeds which is still faster than AirDrop or WiFi. Folks that shoot 4K video (much less ProRes) or folks like me that move a lot of music or movies have wanted at least USB 3.0 speeds for the last 10 years. It seems like this year the Pro models will at least get Thunderbolt 3/USB 4 data transfer speeds which is a long time coming.

They should have done this five years ago.

Every other charger in my house is USB-C. This is a welcome change for us, even though most of us use air chargers anyway.

I have a sweet little 3-in-1 unit on my nightstand that does my phone, my watch, and my headphones.

Just another case of politicians sticking their noses where it does not belong.

In general, it stifles innovation.

Some dumb fk telling a company they are better at engineering than the engineers.

Let the market decide.

I went to Qi wireless charging, even though I hate most things that are wireless

I’ve not seen my lightning cable in a while but I think it’s in the glovebox in the car.

While I think it's an improvement, it's hardly a major improvement in the mobile device world to me.
Must be a slow week in the tech writers business. They are making this like somebody just invented the wheel and all of humanity will make a leap forward.
Hopefully the new phones will have more than this going for them.