John Paul M. Joaquin Tech 05.11.2022 11:May AM EDT

Apple Will Install USB-C Ports to Future iPhones and Other iOS Devices, Analyst Says

Apple may finally be switching to USB-C ports as soon as 2023.

According to the recent tweets of popular analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the Cupertino-based company will be abandoning its Lightning port for USB-C ports for its new iPhone.

Apple's move may have been influenced by the European Union's (EU) agreement to the proposal of the use of a common charger for portable electronic devices, specifically, the use of USB-C cables and ports.

Apple iPhone 15 USB-C Port Details

In Ming-Chi Kuo's tweets, he said that his latest survey indicated that Apple's new iPhone, which could very well be the iPhone 15, would use a USB-C port, abandoning the company's mainstay Lightning port in the process.

Kuo's unspecified survey is presumably based on component manufacturers, from which Kuo seems to acquire his information for predictions about future Apple products, The Verge said in its recent report.

However, according to 9to5Mac, surveys based on component manufacturers, or supply-chain reports, have varying reliability as sources of information as Apple has a penchant for having multiple suppliers wherever possible to negotiate better prices and to reduce risk.

Apple's switch from a Lightning port to a USB-C port could make the iPhone's data transfer and charging speeds in hardware designs, but the final specification details still depend on iOS support.

Moreover, Kuo added that the world should expect to see existing USB-C-related suppliers of Apple's ecosystem become the market's focus for the next couple of years due to the vast orders from iPhones and accessories' adoption of USB-C ports.

Apple's probable switch from using a Lightning port to a USB-C port is not much of a surprise, but its sudden adoption in 2023, is. The company began using USB-C ports for Macs in 2015 with the 12-inch MacBook. It subsequently went all-in with the adoption with the 2016 MacBook pro but backtracked the port's adoption by restoring MagSafe, HDMI, and SD card slots.

The company also made its 112-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models that have ports compatible with both Lightning and USB-C cables in 2018.

This move left the iPhone as the only Apple product that has yet to have a USB-C port.

Forced By Government Entities?

Apple may have been forced to adopt USB-C ports thanks to political pressure from the EU, primarily due to its agreement to use a common charger for portable electronic devices to reduce electronic waste and make the use of different mobile phones, tablets, and other digital cameras more convenient.

However, the company could be taking the last laugh in this case, as Apple could be switching to wireless charging and going portless rather than fully committing itself to USB-C ports, as The Verge pointed out in a separate article.

Another reason why Apple could still be hesitant to adopt USB-C ports is that it still wants to keep the company's Made for iPhone program running and partly for better waterproofing of its devices.