"Porsche 911 exchanged for a Golf": Apple wants to change the charging cable connection

Created: 2022-10-20 13:04

By: Ines Alberti

The EU has decided on standard charging cables, so standard connections are needed.

Apple's Lightning port must therefore make room for USB-C.

Cupertino/Strasbourg – Apple will part with its Lightning connector on iPhones, AirPod charging cases and the like.

This is reported by various industry portals, citing Bloomberg reporter and Apple insider Mark Gurman.

Accordingly, the group wants to make the switch to USB-C for Mac accessories by 2024 at the latest.

With the iPhone, the change could take place earlier.

According to Gurman, the background is the agreement of the EU countries on USB-C as a uniform charging connection for smartphones and other devices.

The aim is to reduce waste by allowing consumers to continue using their old charging cable when buying a new device.

From the end of 2024, this will be mandatory for most devices, as the European Parliament decided in early October 2022.

From the end of 2024, manufacturers will no longer be allowed to offer new devices with other charging connections, such as Apple's Lightning socket or micro-USB.

For laptops, the regulation will apply from spring 2026.

The Lightning connector on iPhones will soon be a thing of the past.

© CreativeFamily/Imago

Apple says goodbye to Lightning: USB-C is the future

According to Gurman, the iPhone 15, which is due to appear in 2023, could already be equipped with a USB-C connection in order to avoid penalties.

An iPad model that still has a Lightning connector is expected to switch to USB-C by the end of this year.

The Lightning port has been standard on a variety of Apple devices since 2012.

The following Apple devices must have the USB-C port by the EU deadline:

• iPhone

• AirPods

• magic mouse

• Magic Keyboard

• Magic trackpad

No more Lightning at Apple: USB-C means fewer charging cables

Anyone who uses many different Apple products should be relieved about the development.

In the worst case, you currently need three different charging cables to supply all devices with power: USB-C for the MacBook, Lightning for the iPhone and AirPods and the MagSafe charging station for the Apple Watch.

Or even more if you use older models that require a MagSafe2 connector, for example.

Even if there are truly bigger problems in the world, there is nothing to be said against downsizing at this point.

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Meanwhile, users are split on the forthcoming innovation, with a Facebook post from the Giga portal on the subject saying that Apple has given up:

• "Given up?

  Would rather say attained enlightenment.”

• "Exchanged Porsche 911 for Golf."

• “USB-C sucks.

  Find the port of my wife's iPhone better.

  At least they hold up mechanically.

  No matter how many lines I buy, USB-C will eventually fit loosely.”

• "It's nice that you now have the same cables, but you just swapped the technically better solution for the worse one."

• "This step was long overdue."

• "Once we've all switched to USB-C, we can send our old Lightning cables to the EU Commission.

  At least then they can see what they have done.”