Why Your Next IPhone May Not Have a Lightning Port
There are many things that set Apple products apart from their competitors. One of the most iconic is the Lightning port, Apple’s proprietary charging and connection cable that most Apple products have been using for a while, but that could change very soon. Members of the European Commission will vote on whether to force all tech companies to use a single charging method that is universal across all devices and manufacturers, including Apple.
According to the BBC , the European Commission has been trying to implement a single charging port standard for all devices for over a decade. There have been many attempts to get Apple into the USB fold, but this upcoming vote will be the final nail in the coffin for the Lightning cable and may also close legal loopholes that have allowed Apple to continue to use Lightning ports despite agreeing to switch to USB.
What does this mean to you
If the vote passes, it would spell the end of the era of the Lightning charger. Apple won’t be able to sell its products in the EU without USB-C (likely), and the change will affect any products it makes and sells in the US and other countries. This means that your next iPhone will likely use USB-C or wireless charging rather than the Lightning port.
Sure, this will be a big change, but you don’t need to ditch Lightning cables anytime soon. For starters, the vote has yet to take place, but even if a decision is made, it will take some time before it takes effect and Apple starts making devices without Lightning ports. Plus, you’ll still need these cables to charge and connect to Apple devices that already use them.
Personally, I hope that the ruling will pass. I find that using proprietary charging cables and having to buy special adapters is inconvenient and in many cases a predatory and anti-consumer strategy. In all fairness, Apple has already ditched the Lightning port in favor of USB-C since the 2018 iPad Pro models, and many other devices in their lineup don’t rely solely on Lightning cables. While this change won’t affect all Apple products in the future, it would be nice to use the same charging cable for every device you own.