After a set of renders that showed off the new iPhone 15 Pro design, we now have confirmation that the iPhone 15 is switching from Lightning to USB-C.
The image shared by Unknownz21 on Twitter doesn’t show much, but it is indeed an iPhone, or a very good imitation of it. Besides the USB-C port, we can see Apple’s pentalobe security screws as well as the symmetrical speaker holes on each side. The phone also appears to have a more curved chamfer and possibly a new titanium body, although it could also be a metal prototype mold.
The iPhone has been rumored to be switching to USB-C for years and a new European Union ruling requiring all smartphones to have USB-C by 2024 has likely accelerated development of the new port by Apple. The firm has used Lightning as the charging port for the iPhone since its introduction in 2012 to replace the bulky 30-pin connector. Back when it was introduced, Apple hailed the cable as adaptable, reversible, and durable, all hallmarks of today’s USB-C cables.
Three years after Lightning was introduced, Apple developed its first Mac with a USB-C port, the 12-inch MacBook, and has since rolled it out to all Macs, iPads, and chargers. After the iPhone 15 passes, it is likely that the AirPods and AirPods Max will be next. Then it will only be a matter of time before Lightning is gone for good, as only a handful of compatible accessories and older iPhones will remain.