Thanks to a recent push from the European Commission, Apple's proven to be a company that remains set in its way. It often uses the same design for multiple product generations, is slower than other companies to add certain features, and sometimes does this at the expense of the end-.
A prime example of this is seen with the iPhone's Lightning port. In 2012, the iPhone 5 introduced a revolutionary new charging connector called 'Lightning.' It was substantially smaller than the old 30-pin connector previous iPhones used, the reversible design allowed it to be plugged in either way, and it offered faster data transfer speeds than its clunky predecessor. While all of that was exciting in 2012, Apple has continued to use this exact same port all these years later — most recently with the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro.
After years of complaints for Apple to move away from the aging Lightning port, it looks like that day is finally coming. On September 23, 2021, the European Commission announced new legislation that will require USB-C to become the universal charging standard for consumer tech gadgets. As the EU explains in its press release, "USB-C will become the standard port for all smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers and handheld videogame consoles." Additionally, the EU wants to require all 'electronic devices' to have the option of being sold without an included charger.
What This Means For Future iPhones
As the EU explains, these new requirements would do a couple of things: "Improve consumers' convenience and reduce the environmental footprint associated with the production and disposal of chargers." For a majority of smartphones, headphones, and other devices, this ruling wouldn't be that big of a change. Almost all Android phones use USB-C, an increasing number of accessories now use the port, and more devices are gradually shifting away from Micro-USB and other outdated standards.
The big exception to that rule, however, is Apple. Despite shifting all of its MacBooks and the majority of the iPad lineup to USB-C, the iPhone continues to be stuck with Lightning. Responding to this news, an Apple spokesperson told an objectively worse port on the iPhone for over nine years, but c'est la vie.
So, does this all mean the iPhone 14 is going to have USB-C? Not exactly — and there are a couple of reasons for that. For one thing, the legislation still needs to be approved by the European Parliament. If and when that happens, companies will then get 24 months to adapt to these rules. At the very earliest, that means Apple wouldn't be required to use USB-C until the iPhone 15 in late 2023. Secondly, the USB-C requirement only applies to devices that have a wired charging port. Ample rumors suggest Apple's working towards a portless iPhone — one that gets rid of Lightning and relies exclusively on Qi and MagSafe wireless charging. That kind of device would be exempt from needing USB-C, meaning it's all the more likely Apple would rather ship a portless iPhone than it defeat by switching to USB-C. It's difficult to say with certainty what'll happen next, but one way or another, it seems that the days of Lightning are quickly coming to an end.
Source: European Commission, Reuters