Apple is set to unveil the iPhone 15 at its “Wanderlust” event on Tuesday. While the rumored upgrades, from slightly thinner bezels to an improved camera, will get most of the hype, the most dramatic change may come from the humble port at the bottom of the phone, with Apple widely expected to swap out the long-standing Lightning connection to the more universally accepted USB-C.
Apple will likely talk about the benefits of faster charging and wider capacity – and that is all true – but don’t be fooled: the company has been fighting this change for a while. The only reason it’s making the switch is because of a European Union regulation mandating all phones embrace the USB standard by 2024.
For many longtime Apple users, this change could be the biggest disruption when you unwrap your new iPhone 15. All of a sudden, the various Lightning cables you’ve accumulated over the years are no longer compatible. As with previous iPhones, Apple will pack in a new power cable, but it’ll be a USB-C to USB-C line, which may not be compatible with the older Apple power bricks.
Ultimately, this is a good thing for consumers, even if there’s going to be a lot of annoyance and confusion in the short term.
USB-C has quickly grown to become a standard port in many electronic devices, from other smartphones to laptops and the Nintendo Switch. Over time, it’ll be virtually universal, allowing you to use any power cable on pretty much any device.
It’ll also hopefully simplify the selection of ports available across Apple’s lineup. Its Macs and iPads already use USB-C, but peripherals like its Magic Mouse and the AirPods still use Lightning. It’s already been a confusing few years for anyone who owns a number of Apple products.
There’s also the additional wrinkle in the fact that USB is going through its own transition. While there are a lot of USB-C-compatible devices out there, a fair number of older devices still use the previous USB-A port or the micro-USB port for mobile devices.
There are likely plenty of things in your home that are just a few years old and relied on the older USB-A port. That can be anything from portable battery packs to the ports found in your car.
These kinds of transitions are necessary from time to time, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the moment. Apple fans had to deal with one back in 2012, when the company switched from the older 30-pin connector to Lightning.
At the time, Apple was switching from one proprietary connection method to another, and there weren’t as many products, making it a minor nuisance. It’s magnified now that there are so many more Apple products.
But that’s the price you pay for getting on the same page with every other device.