Apple confirms that future iPhones will have USB-C, at least in some places

It was inevitable, but following the EU’s legislation requiring USB-C to become the common charging standard, Apple, via Greg Joswiak, has confirmed that it will comply with the law and switch from Lightning to USB-C on future iPhones, according to Techradar.

Greg Joswiak (Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing) said as much in a Wall Street Journal video interview (opens in new tab), confirming that “obviously, we’ll have to comply.”

Joswiak didn’t say exactly when that change will occur, as the law doesn’t come into play until 2024, so the iPhone 15 may still have Lightning. Still, equally, Apple might not wait around to make the inevitable switch, and, indeed, it’s been rumoured that the iPhone 15 will use USB-C when it arrives next year.

Apple’s Craig Federighi and Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) join @JoannaStern at #WSJTechLive to discuss products, privacy and power at the tech giant https://t.co/fNo2JGwMB4 https://t.co/aGrTlZrUo4October 26, 2022

 

Greg Joswiak Apple iPhones 14 Pro base USB-C.

Apple iPhones 14 Pro base USB-C.

Joswiak wouldn’t be drawn on whether this change will apply globally or just in Europe, so there’s still some uncertainty.

It’s clear from the interview that this isn’t a change the company is keen to make. Despite switching to USB-C for iPads and Macs, Joswiak noted that moving iPhones to USB-C will create a lot of e-waste since the billions of Lightning cables worldwide will no longer be useable with future products.

He believes that by making the cables removable from the power brick (so that you can connect the cable of your choice to the brick), Apple had struck a good balance that doesn’t inconvenience customers and that this forced move to USB-C isn’t the best thing for most of its customers.

He also pointed out that governments tried to standardize micro-USB connectors in the past and that if that had happened, there would have likely been no Lightning cable or USB-C – both of which are superior to micro-USB.

All of these are reasonable points, but with Apple’s move to USB-C on other products, the growing popularity of wireless charging, and rumours of a portless iPhone, it seems like Lightning’s days were probably numbered with or without the EU’s interference.

Expect IPhones USB-C globally.

While Joswiak wouldn’t say whether future iPhones will also switch to USB-C in the US and other regions outside the EU, it looks pretty likely they will.

His point about e-waste might mean we still see Lightning elsewhere to minimize the number of unusable Lightning cables, but developing and producing iPhones with different ports for different regions seems like it would create a level of cost and hassle avoided with a global change.

Plus, as noted above, the days of Lightning ports are probably numbered anyway. E-waste aside, Joswiak’s issues seem to primarily be about the standardization of USB-C rather than the iPhone having a USB-C port. So before long, all the best phones will likely have the same charging port.

Source www.techradar.com