Report: Apple Could Ship First iPhone With USB-C Port in 2023

Apple could be getting ready to replace the Lightning ports on its iPhones with standard USB-C ports starting next year. The information comes from the usually well-informed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who based his claims on a recent “survey” that could possibly involve Apple’s USB-C suppliers.

“My latest survey indicates that 2H23 new iPhone will abandon Lightning port and switch to USB-C port. USB-C could improve iPhone’s transfer and charging speed in hardware designs, but the final spec details still depend on iOS support. It’s expected to see existing USB-C-related suppliers of Apple’s ecosystem (e.g., IC controller, connector) become the market’s focus in the next 1-2 years, thanks to vast orders from iPhones and accessories’ adoption of USB-C ports,” the analyst tweeted earlier today.

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Apple introduced its proprietary Lighting connector ten years ago with the iPhone 5 and the 4th gen iPad, but the latest iPad Air and iPad Pro models finally made the switch to USB-C. It would make sense for Apple to also adopt USB-C on future iPhones, especially if this could lead to better transfer and charging speeds, as Ming-Chi Kuo claimed.

The increasing pressure from regulators may also be another factor pushing Apple to fully embrace USB-C. The European Union is determined to set USB-C-C as the new charging standard on portable devices, though Apple could still find an alternative solution by ditching its Lightning port for good and making all future iPhones charge wirelessly.

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Conversation 26 comments

  • rob_segal

    Premium Member
    11 May, 2022 - 9:57 am

    <p>It would nice if Apple uses USB-C for charging on iPhones instead of going with wireless charging only. Maybe, this story means they are moving in this direction, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being wireless charging only next year or in the near future. Transitioning to USB-C for a few years and then go wireless only seems unnecessary at this point.</p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      11 May, 2022 - 10:00 am

      <p>The biggest problem at the moment is the USB 2.0 speed of Lightning on the iPhones combined with ProRes video, which is GB a minute in size, it takes an age to copy them off onto a Mac or PC, with USB 3.2 or USB 4 speeds, it would take just seconds. Wireless (Wi-Fi) would be somewhere in the middle.</p>

      • rob_segal

        Premium Member
        11 May, 2022 - 10:07 am

        <p>Apple could lean on their ecosystem for this. USB-C would make it easier for Android users to quickly switch to iPhones. I just wonder how this will affect their idea to remove lightning and use wireless charging only. The EU is complicating this with their single charging standard.</p>

        • wright_is

          Premium Member
          11 May, 2022 - 11:13 am

          <p>Devices that are purely charged via wireless don’t need a USB-C port.</p>

        • bluvg

          11 May, 2022 - 1:32 pm

          <p>Oh, the calculus for Apple… more money from potential phone sales, or more money from guaranteed accessories sales?</p>

    • fishnet37222

      Premium Member
      11 May, 2022 - 10:29 am

      <p>I hope they don’t go wireless charging only. It’s much easier and quicker to transfer music from my PC to my iPhone using a cable.</p>

      • bluvg

        11 May, 2022 - 1:34 pm

        <p>There seem to be battery life implications to wireless charging as well? I recall reading a paper on this, but haven’t been able to find it.</p>

    • iAlrakis

      Premium Member
      12 May, 2022 - 11:14 am

      <p>I guess they will push wireless charging in the near future but on the other hand some form of ‘wired’ charging should still be possible without a port in my opinion. With something like the keyboard connectors on iPads</p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    11 May, 2022 - 9:58 am

    <p>The latest iPad mini has USB-C, the Air and the Pros have had it for a couple of years now.</p>

    • rob_segal

      Premium Member
      11 May, 2022 - 10:03 am

      <p>If Apple’s goal is still to make the iPhone wireless charging only, transitioning to USB-C temporarily might not be the best thing for iPhone owners. The EU may not give Apple this option, but it’s something to keep in mind. </p>

      • wright_is

        Premium Member
        11 May, 2022 - 11:14 am

        <p>Wireless charging is still slow and very inefficient, compared to wired charging, although it is convenient.</p>

        • fishnet37222

          Premium Member
          11 May, 2022 - 11:21 am

          <p>It’s not convenient if you want to transfer music from your PC to your phone.</p>

          • iAlrakis

            Premium Member
            12 May, 2022 - 11:20 am

            <p>I’m pretty sure I’ve read about transferring music from PC to iPhone without cables. No idea about transfer speeds though. Maybe that’s what you are referring to.</p>

  • simont

    Premium Member
    11 May, 2022 - 10:40 am

    <p>Anybody want to place money on Apple using a USB-C connector but having its own special setup so we won’t be able to use just any USB-C cable, at least at full speed.</p>

    • Stabitha.Christie

      11 May, 2022 - 11:02 am

      <p>Sounds like a losing bet. Apple does proprietary connectors when it adds some sort of functionality that isn’t in existence already. USB C wasn’t around when Thunderbolt was introduce and Apple didn’t feel like waiting. </p>

  • Daekar

    11 May, 2022 - 11:04 am

    <p>You just know that even if they go USB-C, it’s not going to be normal, and there will be some kind of compatibility hurdle which prevents universal accessories. </p>

    • Donte

      11 May, 2022 - 12:31 pm

      <p>They will have to be "licensed" by Apple to be compatible or some BS like that.</p><p><br></p><p>DongleFest 3.0. As I sit here at lunch with my 16inch Macbook Pro (M1 Pro) with a USB-C to A dongle to make my favorite Logtiech mouse work. I probably have $300 in dongles for this Macbook alone.</p>

  • StevenLayton

    11 May, 2022 - 2:58 pm

    <p>There is something wrong with the hero image in this article. The charge socket isn’t clogged with pocket fluff!</p>

  • clutem1987

    11 May, 2022 - 3:05 pm

    <p>Wireless charging is inefficient. I’ve always found wired with a rapid charger to work faster. Even when using MagSafe. </p>

  • randallcorn

    Premium Member
    11 May, 2022 - 3:48 pm

    <p>Guarantee it will not work like a normal USB-C and you can ONLY use Apple cords or it will not work because they will of course do something only standard to Apple.</p>

    • SvenJ

      11 May, 2022 - 4:20 pm

      <p>They haven’t done this on any of the multitude of USB-C devices they already have.</p>

    • mattbg

      Premium Member
      13 May, 2022 - 12:00 pm

      <p>This doesn’t sound right. I can connect my years-old iPad Pro to a non-Apple USB-C/Thunderbolt KVM and get full display, keyboard, and mouse support without having to do anything special. At least for that device, they have implemented it properly.</p>

  • rupertholmes

    11 May, 2022 - 10:28 pm

    <p>Another reason to keep the cord is that many vehicles still require a cable to use Apple CarPlay. 2020 Mercedes requires a cable. </p>

    • fishnet37222

      Premium Member
      11 May, 2022 - 11:08 pm

      <p>My 2019 Hyundai Accent requires a cable for both CarPlay and Android Auto.</p>

    • pesos

      Premium Member
      12 May, 2022 - 3:45 am

      <p>Been using a wireless carplay adapter for over a year now, works great.</p><p><br></p><p>Eventually Apple may see fit to release their own (at 2.5x the price).</p>

    • jgraebner

      Premium Member
      12 May, 2022 - 7:01 pm

      <p>Wireless CarPlay/Android Auto aren’t even standard on 2022 cars. I recently bought a 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and it still requires a wired connection. When researching, I found that options would be vastly limited if wireless phone connection were a requirement.</p>

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