Apple is testing iPhones that replace the Lightning port with a USB-C port, according to a new Bloomberg report from Apple, but you shouldn’t expect to see it in this year’s iPhone lineup, as the change won’t happen until 2023 “at the earliest,” according to the report. . The report follows tweets from trusted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo this week suggesting that Apple will swap out USB-C in the second half of 2023, which is presumably when this year’s iPhone lineup will be released.
The switch would be big, though it’s not a complete surprise. Apple has already ported the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad Mini to USB-C. And the EU unveiled a proposal in September that would require many devices, including smartphones, to include USB-C ports — Gorman says this legislation was a “major reason” for Apple’s move to consider the change. There are also technical benefits to moving to USB-C, which is capable of providing faster transfer speeds than Lightning.
Rumors have also swirled regarding Apple developing a barrier-free iPhone, and Gorman says Apple has “worked on iPhones without any charging port” in “recent years.” But a previous report does not indicate that the iPhone will be available anytime soon.
The company first introduced the Lightning port with the iPhone 5 in 2012.
