Apple will keep the Lightning connector on the iPhone in the “foreseeable future,” with no intention of switching to USB-C, according to reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
/article-new/2021/03/Apple-Prefer-Lightning-Over-USB-C-Feature.jpg?resize=560%2C315&ssl=1)
While much of the industry is moving toward USB-C, Apple won’t be using it to replace the Lightning connector on the iPhone 13 or, in fact, on any iPhone model for now. In a note seen by MacRumors yesterday, Kuo explained that Apple is reluctant to switch to USB-C as it is a free and open standard, as well as being less water resistant than Lightning.
We believe that USB-C is detrimental to the profitability of the MFi business, and its waterproof specification is lower than Lightning and MagSafe.
Apple is currently able to strictly regulate the quality of Lightning cables and accessories through its Made for iPhone (MFi) program. MFi also generates a significant amount of revenue for the company, as third-party manufacturers have to pay Apple a considerable commission to manufacture Lightning cables or accessories.
/article-new/2012/09/iphone_5_lightning.jpg?resize=560%2C300&ssl=1)
Apple has used the Lightning connector on all iPhone since the iPhone 5 in 2012, but has switched several of its devices to USB-C, including the iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and more recently the iPad Air. Because the need to connect to external drives is less pressing and some USB-C features such as external display connectivity are impossible on an iphone, it is understandable that Apple is less motivated to switch to USB-C on its most cost-effective product for MFi.
The transition from iPhone to USB-C this year would also leave a significant number of devices such as the incoming iPad, iPad mini, AirPods and a lot of accessories like the Magic Trackpad and the MagSafe Duo charger, stuck with a connector that would no longer be widely used in any star product. Switching the “iPhone” to USB-C can therefore tip the scales against Lightning across Apple’s full product range, which may force the company to phase out the connector for a large number of products before vulgui.
Amid rumors about a portless iPhone, Kuo clarified that Apple is more likely to switch directly to a portless model instead of switching to USB-C for the first time:
If the iPhone leaves Lightning in the future, you can directly adopt the doorless design with MagSafe support instead of using a USB-C port.
Despite this, Kuo claimed that MagSafe wireless charging technology is not yet ready to move a cable port, as it only debuted in October 2020 on the iPhone 12 line. 12.MagSafe is currently unable to transfer data, complete a recovery of the device or make diagnoses, which apparently would be essential functions in a future Iphone without ports.
Currently, the “MagSafe” ecosystem is not mature enough, so the “iPhone” will continue to use the Lightning port in the foreseeable future.
Overall, this means that Apple intends to stick with the Lightning connector for the next iPhone 13 at least, but it could also be extended to models beyond that.
Kuo’s recent reports on the future of the iPhone included speculation that in 2022, at least some iPhone models will leave the notch and switch to a “perforated screen design”, and in 2023, Apple could unveil a 7.5-iPhone 8-inch folding.