Apple is checking out iPhones that switch the Lightning port for USB-C, in accordance to a new Bloomberg record from Apple whisperer Mark Gurman. But you shouldn’t assume to see it in this year’s iPhone lineup, as the changeover wouldn’t occur until 2023 “at the earliest,” Gurman says. The record follows dependable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s tweets this week indicating Apple would swap to USB-C in the second half of 2023, which is possibly when that year’s iPhone lineup will be released.
The transfer would be a big one, though it’s not a complete surprise. Apple has already moved the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad Mini to USB-C. And the EU found out a proposal in September that would require many devices, which includes smartphones, to include USB-C ports — Gurman says that this legislation was “a key reason” for Apple’s move to keep in mind the change. There are also technical advantages to shifting to USB-C, which is capable of faster transfer speeds than Lightning.
Rumors have also swirled about Apple growing a portless iPhone, and Gurman says that Apple has “worked on iPhones with none charging port” in “recent years.” But his report Friday doesn’t suggest a portless iPhone will be to be had anytime soon.
Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The company first brought the Lightning port with the iPhone 5 in 2012.
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