Apple is expected to transition its iPhone lineup from Lightning to USB-C connectivity next year. A new report suggests that AirPods, AirPods Pro, the Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad will also transition to USB-C by 2024.
USB-C connectivity to be widely adopted by Apple in the coming years
The European Parliament recently voted in favor of a directive that will force mobile phone vendors to sell their products with a single standard USB-C port by the end of 2024. TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously reported that the Cupertino tech giant is testing USB-C connectivity for next year’s iPhone 15 lineup.
Earlier this year, a report came out suggesting that Apple could switch more of its products from Lightning to USB-C like the AirPods, Magic Keyboard, Magic, Trackpad, Magic Mouse, and the MagSafe Battery Pack. The report claimed that the transition would occur by 2023.
Now, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is saying that Apple will transition its accessories to USB-C by 2024. In the latest edition of his “Power On” newsletter, Gurman says that Apple is fully prepared to transition most of its products to the new charging standard before the EU’s mandated deadline. The iPhone 15 is expected to transition next year. The upcoming entry-level iPad is also expected to make the switch by the end of 2022.
As for other iPhone releases, Gurman says that if Apple releases a new iPhone SE in the spring of 2024, it will feature a Lightning port since it would launch before the end of the year. However, if the tech giant releases an iPhone SE in 2025 or 2026, it will need to feature USB-C connectivity.
As for AirPods and other Mac accessories, Gurman says Apple could make the switch when new versions are released. Specifically, when Apple updates the iMac and Mac Pro.
As for the future, Apple could transition all of its products to wireless charging. The tech giant was once rumored to be testing a port-less iPhone after the EU’s USB-C proposal. Now that it has ditched the physical SIM card slot in its latest iPhone 14 lineup and has introduced MagSafe integration with the iPhone, the move seems more plausible. However, Ming-Chi Kuo previously explained that a “Portless iPhone may cause more problems due to current limitations of wireless technologies & the immature MagSafe ecosystem.”
