Lightning Connector Turns 10 Today as iPhone Rumored to Adopt USB-C Next Year

[MacRumors]

Today marks 10 years since Apple introduced the iPhone 5 with an all-new Lightning connector, which replaced the previous 30-pin dock connector that originated on the iPod. Apple's former marketing chief Phil Schiller described Lightning as a "modern connector for the next decade," and this milestone has now been achieved.

iPhone 14 models remain equipped with a Lightning connector, but Apple is widely expected to switch to USB-C for iPhone 15 models next year.

Apple already offers USB-C ports on every Mac and nearly every iPad that it sells, along with the Studio Display, Pro Display XDR, some Beats headphones, and a few other accessories. Rumors suggest the upcoming 10th-generation entry-level iPad will also adopt USB-C, followed by AirPods charging cases and the MagSafe Battery Pack next year.

In June, the European Union announced that it reached an agreement to introduce a new law that would make USB-C the common charging port across all new smartphones, tablets, headphones, and many other electronics by fall 2024. iPhone 15 models are expected to launch around September 2023, ahead of the European Union's deadline.

While the Lightning cable was the first reversible charging cable, USB-C has become a very popular charging standard across a countless number of devices. A major benefit of USB-C for the iPhone would be faster data transfer speeds, as Lightning on the iPhone 13 and earlier tops out at 480 Mbps, while USB-C can achieve up to 5 to 10 Gbps depending on the spec, or even up to 40 Gbps if the iPhone supported Thunderbolt 3.

Article Link: Lightning Connector Turns 10 Today as iPhone Rumored to Adopt USB-C Next Year

 

[rosegoldoli]

same USB-C rumor every year...

 

[Paradoxally]

Schiller wasn't lying when he said it was for the next decade.

 

[fwmireault]

Definitely a big improvement over the 30-pin connector, but I wish Apple would have waited just a bit more in 2012 and directly put a USB-C port to the iPhone.

 

[jml1982]

It should have already been USBC... But they really hold out forever for things, like being able to customize your lock screen on the iPhone is just coming out today...

 

[coolbreeze2]

I think I remember about maybe 4-5 years ago the rumor was that Apple was dropping the Lightning connector. How do you know when a rumored prediction is really going to happen?

 

[Berti10]

Phil Schiller was right, when he said that it’s the connector for the „next century“

 

[antiprotest]

"For the next decade" is just a thing you say. It was never meant to be firm. They could have switched after 5 years or they could wait for another few years more from now.

That is, unless the EU or China force them.

 

[MallardDuck]

best thing about lightning was that it's reversible and easily pluggable. Unlike, for example, every USB connector until C.

Whoever invented the USB-B micro (2 and 3) need to spend all eternity trying to plug them in....

 

[840quadra]

Biggest disappointment on the 14 series is lack of USB-C!

Lets have ProRes video, and 48 Megapixel cameras, but keep 10yo IO.. Brilliant!

That said, the 13 pro isn't terrible with regards to IO, but I do notice how much faster my iPad mini 6 is with regards to mass file copy activity through the physical port.

 

[citysnaps]

Still love Lightening and its mechanical robustness for phones. Perfect for its intended purpose where there will be many thousands of insertions over its lifetime in imperfect environments.

 

[MallardDuck]

Biggest disappointment on the 14 series is lack of USB-C!

Lets have ProRes video, and 48 Megapixel cameras, but keep 10yo IO.. Brilliant!

That said, the 13 pro isn't terrible with regards to IO, but I do notice how much faster my iPad mini 6 is with regards to mass file copy activity through the physical port.

Could be worse...they could have gone portless. Yeah, that's just what I want - trying to move a terabyte of content over wifi sync....

 

[DTphonehome]

Apple's former marketing chief Phil Schiller described Lightning as a "modern connector for the next decade,"

Good. Time for retirement.

Lightning was a VAST improvement over 30-pin and mini-USB, but it's time to move on to USB-C. In some ways Lightning may still be superior to USB-C but the market has spoken.

 

[Realityck]

Biggest disappointment on the 14 series is lack of USB-C!

Lets have ProRes video, and 48 Megapixel cameras, but keep 10yo IO.. Brilliant!

That said, the 13 pro isn't terrible with regards to IO, but I do notice how much faster my iPad mini 6 is with regards to mass file copy activity through the physical port.

I agree. While the iPhone had a lot of various improvements, the fact that you have such a powerful smartphone for video/photography usage without a decent connectivity option like USB-C, is pretty bad.

 

[danielsutton]

Today marks 10 years since Apple introduced the iPhone 5 with an all-new Lightning connector, which replaced the previous 30-pin dock connector that originated on the iPod. Apple's former marketing chief Phil Schiller described Lightning as a "modern connector for the next decade," and this milestone has now been achieved.

iPhone 14 models remain equipped with a Lightning connector, but Apple is widely expected to switch to USB-C for iPhone 15 models next year.

Apple already offers USB-C ports on every Mac and nearly every iPad that it sells, along with the Studio Display, Pro Display XDR, some Beats headphones, and a few other accessories. Rumors suggest the upcoming 10th-generation entry-level iPad will also adopt USB-C, followed by AirPods charging cases and the MagSafe Battery Pack next year.

In June, the European Union announced that it reached an agreement to introduce a new law that would make USB-C the common charging port across all new smartphones, tablets, headphones, and many other electronics by fall 2024. iPhone 15 models are expected to launch around September 2023, ahead of the European Union's deadline.

While the Lightning cable was the first reversible charging cable, USB-C has become a very popular charging standard across a countless number of devices. A major benefit of USB-C for the iPhone would be faster data transfer speeds, as Lightning on the iPhone 13 and earlier tops out at 480 Mbps, while USB-C can achieve up to 5 to 10 Gbps depending on the spec, or even up to 40 Gbps if the iPhone supported Thunderbolt 3.

Article Link: Lightning Connector Turns 10 Today as iPhone Rumored to Adopt USB-C Next Year

I wish Apple would have 1-upped the European Union by submitting Lightning to the standardization orgs and opened it to everybody. That way Apple could keep using it without being accused of being a monopolizer. Lightning also could have been updated to the newest specs for speed.

Lightning is a very robust connector, if I drop my phone while it is still plugged in, the Lightning plug and my phone will survive without getting damaged. Many other ports and phones wiukd get bent all out of shape if dropped while plugged in.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

Actually Apple was heavily involved in the development of the newer USB standards and the USB-C plug which Apple already uses for Thunderbolt.

 

[vegetassj4]

Thunderbolt 4.

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[DFZD]

Apple has really pushed it too far. A lot of people have other apple products like macbooks and ipads as well and having this outdated port is a major annoyance now.

Usually I don't support such government arm-twisting but now I would actually be glad to have the EU government knock some sense into Apple.

 

[citysnaps]

Good. Time for retirement.

Lightning was a VAST improvement over 30-pin and mini-USB, but it's time to move on to USB-C. In some ways Lightning may still be superior to USB-C but the market has spoken.

I love USB-C for connecting my computer to four displays, disk drives, flight yoke/throttles, Stream Deck etc. I might connect/disconnect them at most a dozen times (likely less) per year. The loads of bandwidth available for displays and drives is essential.

My iPhone is a much different story. Somehow I've managed to get by and survive not being able to transfer data to/from it at multi-gigabit/sec rates. I do appreciate the mechanical robustness of the connectors and connections when it comes time to charge.

 

[applicious84]

Wow, that headphone jack was pretty quick to disappear though!

 

[HackMacDaddy]

It will be a very sad day if all EU iPhones receive USB-C while US/Canada go portless. Just like they did with the SIM tray 😂

 

[NightFlight]

Good. Time for retirement.

Lightning was a VAST improvement over 30-pin and mini-USB, but it's time to move on to USB-C. In some ways Lightning may still be superior to USB-C but the market has spoken.

I completely agree on all points.

I wouldn't even consider using an iPhone as my daily until it gets at least USB-C.

 

[Rychiar]

I can’t remember the last time I plugged my phone into anything

 

[applicious84]

I had USB-C on my C64. It kept the important stuff like a headphone jack and physical sim, too

 

[Radeon85]

It's pathetic at this point, a 10yr old connector transferring at USB 2.0 speeds, a speed that came out in the year 2000!. For christ sake Apple, USB 2.0 is approaching a quarter of a century old in just less than 3yrs.