You know how you have to have one charger for Android devices and earbuds, and another for your iPhones and tablets? Well, no more (maybe): Apple is finally working on accessories, including mice, keyboards, and AirPods that charge via USB-C instead of their in-house Lightning cables.
This news flash comes courtesy of Ming-Chi Kuo, who has accurately predicted Apple’s next steps before and who tweeted about it on May 11. According to the analyst, the 2023 iPhones are likely to charge via USB-C cables instead of the Lightning cables we’ve gotten used to endlessly replacing.
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“My latest survey indicates that 2H23 new iPhone will abandon Lightning port and switch to USB-C port,” he tweeted. “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.”
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Bloomberg also reported on May 13 that Apple is currently testing iPhones that charge via USB-C — the symmetrical charger we’re used to seeing on Mac laptops and iPads, as well as Androids and other non-Apple devices. Plus, the wireless chargers for iPhone and Apple Watch use USB-C cabls too, so it’s just a more cohesive charging environment overall.
Overall, USB-Cs are used far more than Lightning cables when it comes to devices in general, and according to Bloomberg, the move is to help Apple align with European regulations set to come into effect. They’re a little larger than the Lightning cables, but they’re also faster at charging and transferring data. Even better, this means we need to just get one type of cable versus search in vain for the one that’s always missing when we need it.
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Per Bloomberg, those of us lagging behind with Lightening cables will be able to swap things out easily via an adapter Apple is working on at the moment now too. It’s not known at the moment whether the adapter will be in the box with some Apple prices or whether it will be a separate buy.
