It looks like Apple is finally preparing to make the switch to USB-C on its iPhone lineup. Based on his latest supply-chain survey, reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts Apple will ditch the Lightning connector and switch to USB-C on the iPhone 15 in 2023.
USB-C could help iPhone 15 charge faster
The TF International Securities analyst says USB-C adoption will allow Apple to improve the data transfer and charging speeds on next year’s iPhones. Current iPhones are limited to USB 2.0 transfer speeds, so moving large files off the internal storage takes a fair bit of time.
Additionally, while Android devices can charge at blazing-fast speeds while drawing up to 120 watts, iPhones are limited to a paltry 20 watts. Again, the switch to USB-C could change this and allow Apple to offer faster charging speeds on the iPhone 15.
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My latest survey indicates that 2H23 new iPhone will abandon Lightning port and switch to USB-C port. USB-C could improve iPhone's transfer and charging speed in hardware designs, but the final spec details still depend on iOS support.— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) May 11, 2022
The switch to USB-C also would open up the door to a lot more accessories for the iPhone, as we have already seen with the iPad Pro and iPad Air. Kuo does warn that the final “spec details” will depend on iOS support, so we may not get all the potential USB-C benefits.
Whatever the case might be, the switch could benefit Apple’s existing USB-C suppliers, who will see a notable uptick in their orders — both from the company itself and other accessory-makers.
Another leak from yesterday indicated Apple could switch to a pill-and-hole layout on all iPhone 15 models. Other rumors suggest the addition of a periscope lens to next year’s iPhones.
Could the EU’s proposal have a role to play in Apple’s decision?
This is not the first time we have heard of Apple switching to USB-C on a future iPhone. Rumors even indicated that Apple could eventually launch a fully port-less iPhone instead of switching to USB-C. This time around, though, the company could have changed its mind for good due to a proposed European Union law that would make USB-C the standard port on all smartphones and tablets.
Of course, that the iPhone 15 is still under development. There’s a lot that could change by the time Apple finalizes its specs. So don’t get your hopes too high on next year’s iPhone coming with USB-C.
