Bloomberg Confirms Apple is Testing iPhones With USB-C Ports

Apple is indeed testing iPhones that are equipped with USB-C ports instead of Lightning ports, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple does not plan to make the switch from Lightning to USB-C until 2023 at the earliest, with this year's iPhones continuing to offer a Lightning port.

iPhone 15 to Switch From Lightning to USB C in 2023 feature
We first heard about a potential swap to USB-C from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who earlier this week said that Apple was planning to abandon the Lightning port in favor of a USB-C port in the 2023 iPhone 15 models.

There have been endless rumors about Apple adopting USB-C ports over the years, especially after Apple started using USB-C for the iPad lineup, but so far, Apple has stuck with Lightning for the iPhone.

Apple may be planning to swap because of legal requirements that could be implemented in Europe. The European Union is working on legislation that would require Apple to use USB-C technology across its product lineup, on iPhones, iPads, and AirPods.

All devices sold in Europe would need to have a universal USB-C port should the legislation be passed, so Apple would need to ship special USB-C iPhone models in Europe or simply make the swap to USB-C worldwide.

USB-C ports would allow for faster charging speeds and quicker data transfers, plus it would bring the ‌iPhone‌ in line with the Mac and ‌iPad‌ models that already use USB-C.

If Apple does transition to USB-C, Gurman says that the company will come out with an adapter that would let USB-C iPhones connect to accessories that have Lightning ports.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 15 (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

dmx Avatar
19 months ago
This should have happened years ago. And it should happen because USB-C is fundamentally better than lightning — more reliable, faster charging, interoperable. It shouldn’t require, or be based upon, government regulation to get this done.
Score: 86 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarAnalogy Avatar
19 months ago
It was downright ridiculous to watch them talk up how great USB C is on the new iPad Mini, then quietly ignore that fact about the supposedly even higher end Pro iPhones with the exact same SoC.
Score: 52 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
19 months ago

Apple does not plan to make the switch from Lightning to USB-C until 2023 at the earliest, with this year's iPhones continuing to offer a lightning port.
Suppose they do switch this year. Most iPads use USB-C currently, why do they still need iPhone 14 to retain a lightning port? Just make it happen!
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bluespark Avatar
19 months ago
Do it now, Apple!
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Freida Avatar
19 months ago
iPad Pro 2021 - USB-C
iPhone 2022 - Lighting

are they smoking crack or what?
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IMPOSSIBLEMAN Avatar
19 months ago
My planned iPhone 14 Pro purchase is on hold. Still committed to acquisition.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

M3 Chip Apple Event Slide

First Benchmark Results Surface for M3 Chip in New Macs

Wednesday November 1, 2023 7:53 am PDT by
The first benchmark results for the standard M3 chip surfaced in the Geekbench 6 database today, providing a closer look at the chip's CPU performance improvements. Based on the results so far, the M3 chip has single-core and multi-core scores of around 3,000 and 11,700, respectively. The standard M2 chip has single-core and multi-core scores of around 2,600 and 9,700, respectively, so the...
iOS 17

Apple Preparing to Release iOS 17.1.1 Update for iPhone

Thursday November 2, 2023 1:22 pm PDT by
Apple appears to be internally testing an iOS 17.1.1 update for the iPhone, based on evidence of the software in our website's analytics logs this week. iOS 17.1.1 will almost certainly be focused on bug fixes, but it's unclear exactly which issues the update will address. The update could include the same fix for Wi-Fi connectivity issues that Apple rolled out in the first iOS 17.2 beta,...
m3 pro chip

Apple M3 Pro Chip Has 25% Less Memory Bandwidth Than M1/M2 Pro

Tuesday October 31, 2023 3:11 am PDT by
Apple's latest M3 Pro chip in the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro has 25% less memory bandwidth than the M1 Pro and M2 Pro chips used in equivalent models from the two previous generations. Based on the latest 3-nanometer technology and featuring all-new GPU architecture, the M3 series of chips is said to represent the fastest and most power-efficient evolution of Apple silicon thus far. ...
AitTag New Firmware

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirTags

Tuesday October 31, 2023 11:26 am PDT by
Apple today released a new firmware update designed for the AirTag item trackers. The firmware features a build number of 2A61, up from the 2A36 firmware that came out last December. It has been nearly a year since Apple updated the firmware on the AirTags, and there is no word yet on what might be included in the update. Today's firmware release will be rolling out on a staggered basis....
M3 Max Chip

M3 Max Chip Around as Fast as M2 Ultra in Early Benchmark Results

Wednesday November 1, 2023 7:27 pm PDT by
The first benchmark results for Apple's M3 Max chip surfaced in the Geekbench 6 database today, providing a look at CPU performance. Based on the "Mac15,9" model identifier shown, the results appear to be for the new 16-inch MacBook Pro. The highest multi-core score for the M3 Max with a 16-core CPU is currently 21,084 as of writing. If this early result is accurate, this means the M3 Max is ...
10 New Features With iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Coming Later This Year With These 10 New Features for iPhone

Friday November 3, 2023 1:23 pm PDT by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers and public beta testers last week, and the software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones. Below, we have highlighted 10 of these new features and changes. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in December. Once available, the update can be installed in the Settings app under General → Software...
Pro Display XDR Red

Macs With M3 Chip Still Officially Support Only a Single External Display

Thursday November 2, 2023 7:41 am PDT by
Macs equipped with the standard M3 chip still support only one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz, according to Apple's tech specs. So far, the chip is available in the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 24-inch iMac. This limitation has existed since the first Apple silicon Macs with the M1 chip were released in 2020, but users can connect multiple external displays to...
apple music voice plan feature blue green

Apple Music's Lower-Priced Voice Plan Being Discontinued

Wednesday November 1, 2023 11:51 am PDT by
The lower-cost Apple Music Voice Plan is being discontinued this month in the U.S. and all other countries where it was available, according to an Apple support document. Brazilian website MacMagazine was first to alert us to this news. "Beginning in November, Apple will discontinue the Apple Music Voice plan," said Apple. "We are focused on delivering the best, most robust music experience...