Apple could switch everything from Lightning connector to USB-C, report claims

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Apple could switch all of its products from the Lightning connector to USB-C, a new report claims.

It comes just days after reliable analyst Ming-chi Kuo claimed this year’s iPhone 14 could be the last of the iPhones to use Apple’s proprietary plug.

Now he has said that other Apple products that use the port are likely to make the same move, adopting the more standard USB-C port for charging.

He also elaborated on his predictions for the iPhone, which came as something of a surprise given many had assumed that Apple would move from using Lightning to not including any port in the iPhone at all, and instead charging it wirelessly.

“Portless iPhone may cause more problems due to current limitations of wireless technologies and the immature MagSafe ecosystem,” he wrote in a tweet.

Apple has been using the Lightning port for around 10 years. It was first introduced with the iPhone 5, and has since become present on other products such as the iPad as well as accessories including Apple’s keyboard and mouse, and the AirPods.

In recent years, however, USB-C has become more of a standard on Apple’s devices. That has included its iPads, which are able to use the faster data transfer and charging capabilities of the newer connector.

But it remains unclear when that will happen for the iPhone. While Bloomberg echoed the report that Apple would be making the switch, both indicated that it would not happen until 2023 at the earliest – but that it could happen after that.

Apple’s move to USB-C could bring a range of advantages, including faster charging and the option to use the same cable as standard across all of its devices.

But it might also not have a choice. Last month, the European Union took another step forward in mandating USB-C as standard in smaller electronics – which would force the iPhone to adopt the plug by law.