Apple confirmed that its next iPhone devices will have a USB-C port instead of the iconic Lightning.
Greg Joswiak, senior vice president of marketing at Apple, anticipated this change in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, after the European Union’s call to technology companies, which sought to standardize the charging connection in the region.
Joswiak didn’t say exactly when that change will happen, as the law won’t kick in until 2024, so the iPhone 15 may still have Lightning, but equally Apple might not wait to make the change. In fact, the iPhone 15 is rumored to use USB-C when it arrives next year.
Joswiak also did not specify whether this change will apply globally or just in Europe, so there is still some uncertainty.
Despite switching to USB-C for iPads and Macs, Joswiak noted that switching iPhones to USB-C will create a lot of e-waste, as the billions of Lightning cables around the world are no longer used. may use with future products.
He also noted that governments have tried to standardize micro-USB connectors in the past, and if that had happened, there probably wouldn’t have been a Lightning or USB-C cable, both of which are superior to micro-USB.
E-waste aside, Joswiak’s issues seem to be mostly about USB-C standardization, though some firms, like Counterpoint, see wireless chargers as a trend.
One rule for all
In June, the European Union finally reached an agreement on legislation requiring all smartphones to be equipped with a USB-C port, including the iPhone, by fall 2024.
Although no date was specified, this decision is highly relevant, since legislators have worked on this issue for more than a decade and have not made much progress so far.
“Today we have made the common charger a reality in Europe. Consumers have long been frustrated with the accumulation of multiple chargers with each new device. Now they will be able to use a single charger for all their portable electronic equipment,” said European Parliament spokesman Alex Agius Saliba.
According to data presented by the block, half of the chargers sold with smartphones in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, while 29% had USB-C and the remaining 21% had the Lightning connector.
