Apple may finally concede to the demand for a universal charging port. The new piece of information comes from one of the most reliable sources of all things Apple. Financial analyst, Ming Chi-Kuo has tweeted about the American company’s plan to move to a universal connector. Kuo revealed some details that may result in an iPhone with a USB Type-C port in 2023. Also Read - Krafton subsidiary introduces new game on Google Play Store, pre-registrations open
Kuo in his tweet claimed that he conducted a survey, according to which the new iPhone in 2023 will be ditching the decade-old Lightning port in favour of a much more superior USB Type-C port. He did not reveal what kind of a survey he conducted. However, Kuo usually bases his claims on the inputs from Apple component vendors. Also Read - Apple, Amazon, Disney likely suitors for EA acquisition: Report
Kuo, in his tweet, said, “My latest survey indicates that 2H23 new iPhone will abandon Lightning port and switch to USB-C port. “ Also Read - iPhone 14's selfie camera costs 3x more than iPhone 13, more features incoming
He hinted at this by claiming that the existing vendors that provide Apple with USB Type-C components such as IC controller and connector will become the market’s focus in the next 1-2 years. This could be due to the massive orders that Apple will be placing for its iPhones.
He said, “It’s expected to see existing USB-C-related suppliers of Apple’s ecosystem (e.g., IC controller, connector) become the market’s focus in the next 1-2 years, thanks to vast orders from iPhones and accessories’ adoption of USB-C ports.”
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My latest survey indicates that 2H23 new iPhone will abandon Lightning port and switch to USB-C port. USB-C could improve iPhone’s transfer and charging speed in hardware designs, but the final spec details still depend on iOS support.— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) May 11, 2022
Push from all sides
It was in March 2021 when Kuo himself claimed that Apple is looking to retain the Lightning port for the foreseeable future. In fact, there were reports that Apple might as well remove the port altogether in favour of wireless charging and wireless data transfers. Then what changed between now and then?
Apple is being pushed by European countries to ditch its exclusive port for a more universally accepted Type-C port. So much so that EU could threaten the company with penalties for using the unconventional port. While Apple claims to take bold steps in favour of the climate, maintaining an exclusive port only goes on to expand its carbon footprint. Additionally, Apple might lose royalty coming from authorized manufacturers of the Lightning port-based accessories.
Not new to the idea
Apple has shown signs of retreat by adopting the USB Type-C port for its latest iPads. Furthermore, some Macs also come with Thunderbolt4 ports which support USB Type-C charging.
Kuo also talked about the advantages of taking the USB Type-C route. He claimed USB Type-C connectors could open doors to fast charging on iPhones as well as much faster data transfers. However, he claims the final specs that will be adopted will depend on iOS.
