Apple sticking with Lightning over USB-C on next iPhone: report
The next generation of iPhones may come equipped with all sorts of new cutting-edge features, but it will still be lagging behind the rest of the mobile world in one major aspect, according to a new report.
Apple will once again pass on USB-C port and instead equip the 2019 iPhone model with a Lightning port, according to Japanese tech site Macotakara. The report, which was first spotted by 9to5Mac, also states that the next iPhone will continue to be bundled with a USB-A charger.
The reason this comes as a surprise to many is because the iPhone remains one of the last holdouts in the smartphone world, as most modern phones (especially Android devices) have embraced the new USB-C port for charging and data transfer.
This latest news on Apple passing on USB-C for the iPhone is in contrast with an earlier report from last summer when supply-side sources were claiming the USB-C ports were on the way for Apple’s 2019 iPhone offering.
Macotakara claims that the reason behind Apple’s insistence on keeping the Lightning cable is simple: money. The report claims Apple stands to profit more from keeping the Lightning-related accessories for at least a few generations of the smartphone.
Nonetheless, the choice to keep the Lightning port on the iPhone is especially baffling when you consider how nearly every current generation Apple device, from the latest iPad Pro to the Macbook and Macbook Pro, swapped out its old ports to replace with USB-C. Apple even contributed to the creation of the USB-C port, so it’s odd that it continues to avoid embracing it on its flagship device.
Even more maddening is Apple’s reported decision to include a USB-A charger over a USB-C one. Apple could choose to keep the Lightning port, yet still give its customers an out-of-the-box solution to compatibility issues that arise with other USB-C devices.
Instead, users will continue to be forced to shell out the extra cash for a cable peripheral that will allow them to plug their iPhone into their MacBook. Even the bundled iPhone Lightning EarPods will remain incompatible with Apple’s laptops without a dongle.
Ultimately, it seems that dongle hell is here to stay.
