Apple has confirmed that it will hold a major event on September 12. The company is expected to launch the iPhone 15 series at the event, along with a number of other products. According to Bloomberg , if given the choice, the "bitten Apple" will continue to stick with the Lightning port for a few more years, until it is ready to remove all ports on the iPhone.
However, the European Union (EU) has issued regulations requiring all device manufacturers to use the USB-C standard by the end of next year. So Apple has to accept the "bow down". The iPhone 15 quartet and the new AirPods Pro will use this port, and the company claims this is a big win for customers.
The benefits Apple plans to tout, according to Bloomberg , are: Users will need just one charging cable for their iPhone, Mac, and iPad; breakthrough data transfer speeds with high-end iPhones; faster charging in some cases; iPhones compatible with chargers from billions of other devices besides Apple.
Over the years, Apple has repeatedly criticized the government’s decision to mandate the switch to USB-C, arguing that it’s bad for the environment by rendering billions of other cables useless. Another argument, made by marketing chief Greg Joswiak in 2022, is that it sets a bad precedent for regulators to interfere with product design.
Bloomberg mentioned the major disadvantages when Apple changed the iPhone 15 charging port: Loss of licensing revenue from Lightning accessory makers; spending engineering resources and money on the change; increasing compatibility with the Android ecosystem; media "nightmares" like the ones encountered in 2012 when switching to Lightning and 2016 when removing the headphone jack.
When accessory makers want to make speakers, adapters, car accessories, and other peripherals that use the Lightning port, they need to apply for Apple’s Made for iPhone (MFI) program. They must be approved if they want to sell through Apple’s official retail channels, and they have to pay for it.
Over the past decade, a massive ecosystem of Lightning accessories has been built, and Apple appears to be raking in tens of millions of dollars each quarter in licensing fees. In 2022, Bloomberg reported that the company had begun testing USB-C iPhones internally and was working with accessory makers to support the 2023 switch. The switch would require a restructuring of the supply chain as well as changes to the iPhone itself and the software. The money could have been spent elsewhere.
While compatibility with other devices is a plus, it’s a downside for Apple. In the next few years, it will be easier for iPhone users to switch to Android devices because they already have accessories available. This is also why Apple has refused to release iMessage for Android or support the RCS messaging standard.
Finally, switching to USB-C could trigger a PR disaster that Apple doesn’t want. Customers will suddenly find that their cables, dongles, car chargers, and other accessories won’t work on the new iPhone unless they buy an adapter. It’s been more than a decade since the company last changed the charging port with the iPhone 5 in 2012. It’s unclear how users will react.
Apple will do its best to alleviate those concerns. According to Bloomberg , the company will include a USB-C charging cable in the box, promote MagSafe and other forms of inductive charging for several years, and secure as many Lightning to USB-C adapters as possible to make the transition as smooth as possible.
There is, however, one inevitable pain point. While a USB-C charging cable is included with every new iPhone, users need a compatible charger. Apple stopped including chargers with the iPhone 12 in 2020. The charger that came with the regular iPhone 11 uses an outdated USB 2 port. That means anyone using a charger from an iPhone 11 or older model will have to buy a new one with a USB-C port or a USB 2 to USB-C cable. This is probably the case for many people.
(According to Bloomberg)
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