Goodbye, Lightning Cable: How to Prepare for Your First USB-C iPhone - PCMag

Apple's Lightning Connector whitethorn yet beryllium dead. Thanks to European Union regulators, each phones, tablets, and cameras volition beryllium required to usage the USB-C charging standard, meaning the iPhone volition beryllium dragged kicking and screaming into USB-C larboard adoption.

Greg Joswiak, Apple's Senior Vice President of Marketing, begrudgingly admitted that "we person nary choice" but to determination distant from a proprietary charger to instrumentality up the much cosmopolitan USB-C plug. While we are inactive a agelong mode disconnected from a afloat USB-C-compatible iPhone, it's ne'er excessively aboriginal to hole for the power and larn however you'll beryllium charging your telephone erstwhile it happens.

Why USB-C?

(Credit: Jaromond /Shutterstock)

The European Parliament confirms(Opens successful a caller window) that USB Type-C volition go the caller modular for portable devices, for some charging and information transfers, successful bid to trim e-waste, supply faster charging speeds, and springiness users the prime of purchasing a caller instrumentality with oregon without a charger.

Regulators besides privation to destruct the “lock-in effect” that keeps users babelike connected a azygous company. For example, iPhone owners are presently babelike connected Apple to supply them with Lightning Connector charging.

By mandating USB-C, customers person much prime erstwhile it comes to the powerfulness accessories they bargain for their devices. You could bargain a fast charger oregon a power bank from immoderate institution and it would beryllium compatible with your device. The USB-C chargers already retired determination would besides enactment without the request of an adapter.

Why Hasn't Apple Already Switched to USB-C?

When you bargain a caller iPhone, you lone get a azygous charging cable. (Credit: Apple)

Android devices, and adjacent Apple's ain iPad, person embraced USB-C. Why hasn't the iPhone? First of all, Apple inactive has immoderate clip earlier the mandate goes into effect. Despite mounting the caller modular successful October 2022, the mandate volition lone go enforceable toward the extremity of 2024. But Apple has crushed to defy the conversion earlier that time.

While Apple has ne'er straight stated that nett is simply a main operator for warring USB-C standardization, Apple has created its ain MFi (Made for iPhone) certification program(Opens successful a caller window), which regulates the prime of third-party manufacturer’s cables and accessories, and gives a committee of income to Apple. One tin surmise that USB-C adoption would unopen down this programme and crook disconnected a invaluable gross stream.

Apple has also stated(Opens successful a caller window) that sticking with the Lightning larboard successful the iPhone has much to bash with the magnitude of discarded that perchance would beryllium created arsenic a effect of millions of iPhone users being forced to discard those cables. The institution has already ditched the pack-in powerfulness adapter and EarPods with caller phones, starting with the iPhone 12, successful the sanction of environmentalism.

These days, each that's included successful a caller iPhone container is simply a Lightning-to-USB-C cable, which means customers indispensable either usage their aged Lightning-to-USB-A adapters oregon acquisition caller chargers from Apple. The institution argues that galore radical already ain powerfulness adapters and don't request different 1 creating clutter, but removing that powerfulness adapter, yet inactive charging the aforesaid terms for the phone, whitethorn onslaught immoderate arsenic much of a wealth drawback than a sustainability move.

When Will Apple Release the First USB-C iPhone?

EU Rapporteur Agius Saliba Alex declares a USB-C charger the aboriginal of exertion successful Europe. (Credit: European Union)

Since the EU mandate comes into effect astatine the extremity of 2024, Apple's merchandise docket could mean that the iPhone 16 volition beryllium the archetypal USB-C iPhone. The iPhone 17 successful September 2025 is besides a anticipation if Apple tin get 1 much exemplary successful earlier the instrumentality takes effect.

Then again, conscionable due to the fact that determination is simply a owed day doesn't mean Apple can't merchandise a USB-C iPhone earlier then. It should beryllium noted that determination is already a rumor that the iPhone 15 volition beryllium Apple's archetypal USB-C telephone successful 2023.

Before you get excessively excited, it's important to enactment that this mandate lone pertains to European Union countries. There is nary regularisation forcing Apple to marque specified a instrumentality successful the US. The aforesaid goes for planetary customers extracurricular the EU. However, it whitethorn yet marque much fiscal and logistical consciousness for Apple to make a azygous iPhone exemplary with 1 larboard alternatively of creating a USB-C exemplary for Europe and a Lightning larboard exemplary for the remainder of the world.

How to Prepare for a USB-C iPhone

Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro from 2021 has a USB-C port. (Credit: Molly Flores)

Now that it’s a coagulated presumption that a USB-C iPhone is astatine slightest 1 to 2 years away, you person clip to prepare. However, since galore Android phones, headphones, portable speakers, and different devices enactment the standard, you whitethorn already person everything you request astatine home.

If you ain definite iPad oregon MacBook models, the USB-C charger that came with your instrumentality volition besides enactment with your iPhone. These are the models that person USB-C charging:

• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st procreation oregon later)

• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd procreation oregon later)

• iPad Air (4th generation oregon later)

• iPad mini (6th generation)

• MacBook Pro introduced successful 2016 oregon later

• MacBook Air introduced successful 2018 oregon later

• MacBook introduced successful 2015 oregon later

Since existent iPhone models vessel with a Lightning-to-USB-C cablegram successful the box, it's harmless to presume the USB-C iPhone volition see a USB-C cable, which should let you to plug your telephone into a machine successful bid to charge.

Apple's USB-C chargers for its enactment of iPads should besides complaint a phone. (Credit: Apple)

If you bash not person immoderate USB-C devices successful your location (or nary other cables lying around), you volition request to acquisition a USB-C powerfulness adapter and/or cablegram to complaint your iPhone done a partition outlet. Apple already sells a fig of USB-C powerfulness adapters and cables:

• 20W USB-C Power Adapter(Opens successful a caller window)

• 30W USB-C Power Adapter(Opens successful a caller window)

• 35W Dual USB-C Compact Power Adapter(Opens successful a caller window)

• 35W Dual USB-C Power Adapter(Opens successful a caller window)

• 67W USB-C Power Adapter(Opens successful a caller window)

• 140W USB-Power Adapter(Opens successful a caller window)

• USB-C Woven Charge Cable(Opens successful a caller window)

• USB-C Charge Cable(Opens successful a caller window)

Since Apple's existent charging cables are Lightning to USB-C, it should beryllium USB-C to USB-C erstwhile the changeover happens. This could mean you volition request a dongle successful bid for it to acceptable into your laptop that whitethorn lone person USB-A ports.

What About MagSafe and Wireless Charging?

Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack instrumentality onto the backmost of the phone. (Credit: Steven Winkelman)

If you don't privation to messiness astir with ligament compatibility, galore radical person opted to complaint their smartphones wirelessly. This allows you to laic your telephone down connected a wireless charging surface to initiate instrumentality charging. Since the iPhone 12, MagSafe wireless chargers—such arsenic Apple's Battery Pack and Duo Charger—can magnetically link to the backmost of your iPhone.

Wireless charging makes figuring retired which cables link to what adapters adjacent little of a concern, but determination are inactive reasons to person a functioning USB-C cablegram and adapter around.

While determination are immoderate wireless accelerated chargers connected the market, a wired transportation is typically faster crossed the board. You tin besides instrumentality vantage of Apple's higher wattage powerfulness adapters that are specifically designed to complaint your instrumentality astatine a faster rate.

Additionally, wireless charging accessories can’t transportation information from 1 instrumentality to another, truthful you would inactive privation a cablegram to make an encrypted backup of your iPhone to your computer. Also, if you person an older location theatre receiver oregon car stereo, you volition person to physically link the 2 by a cable.