It’s been almost 10 years since Apple’s senior vice president at the time, Phil Schiller, declared Lightning the “modern connector for the next decade” at Apple’s event in September 2012, where the company announced My newest ‘brainchild’ – iPhone 5.
Phil Schiller, Declares Lightning to be “The Modern Connectivity for the Next Decade” in 2012
The Lightning port debuted on the iPhone 5 and has been on every iPhone since. If Apple decides to stop using Lightning, what port can we expect on the iPhone 14?
In 2012, Apple switched from the 30-pin port introduced in 2003 to the reverse design of the Lightning port. Now, many Apple products along with Android smartphones have switched to using USB-C cables, making the iPhone like an outdated device when it comes to ports. Over the years, there have been various reports of iPhones switching to USB-C or charging completely wirelessly.
An iPhone 12 Pro Max is ‘modified’ a USB-C port
Even the famous Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, reported in 2019 that the 2021 iPhones will remove the Lightning port. Although that did not happen, many people still expect the change to be made on this year’s iPhone 14.
Most recently, rumors suggest that the iPhone 14 will have no ports, both Lightning and USB-C, meaning completely wireless. This change is expected to be available on the Pro lineup first. Wireless charging will be compatible with the new generation of MagSafe, which debuted with the iPhone 12 in 2020.
iPhone concept photo ‘no port’
In addition, the European Commission has drafted a proposal, requiring USB-C to become the standard port on devices sold in Europe. This applies to smartphones, tablets, headsets, game consoles, etc. If the proposal is approved, Apple will have two years, until 2024, to make its devices compliant with European legislation.
Which direction do you expect the iPhone to go? Will Apple ignore the “decade” timeline and continue using Lightning, or switch to USB-C or completely portless?
Reference: 9to5mac