Apple's 2021 iPhone could ditch wired headphones for good

I know it might seem like it's entirely too soon to start talking about the 2021 iPhone, which ... it kind of is. But, if this latest rumor is true, then you might just need two years to prepare.

That's because Apple plans to remove the charging port on its 2021 iPhone in favor of an iPhone that only charges wirelessly, according to noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo writes that he expects Apple to "create more differentiation" between its two top-tier iPhones (presumably, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13, if the company sticks with its current naming scheme). "We expect that the highest-end model would cancel the [Lightning] port and provide the completely wireless experience," Kuo writes in his latest remarks, which were published by MacRumors.

It's not the first time rumors have suggested that Apple could phase out its lightning connector, but eliminating the charging port entirely would be a much more dramatic shift than simply switching to USB-C. If Apple were to make such a change, it would have massive implications for the entire iPhone accessory industry. The update would make years' worth of iPhone gadgets, including all wired headphones, unusable. And it would force iPhone owners to rely on Bluetooth, which can be problematic.

Wireless-only charging also raises questions about whether or not Apple would bring back its ill-fated Airpower wireless charing mat, which the company was forced to cancel earlier this year after multiple delays.

Getting rid of the charging port would also likely be unpopular among iPhone owners, some of whom are still raging about the company's decision to ditch the headphone jack in 2016. That said, it's worth pointing out that Kuo seems to think this particular change will be limited to the most expensive "Pro" iPhones, so the cheaper models should be safe. And, with almost two years to go before the iPhone 13 even sees the light of day, this is all still just speculation, though Kuo's track record is pretty good. So there's no need to panic ... yet.

The iPhone SE will soon be making a comeback. Credit: Tomohiro Ohsumi / Getty Images

Besides the end of the lightning port, Kuo also predicts Apple will launch an "iPhone SE 2 Plus," a larger variation of the iPhone SE 2 Kuo previously said would launch in 2020. The "Plus" version will have a larger 5.5 or 6.1-inch edge-to-edge display, according to Kuo. The SE 2 won't have FaceID, which will allow for a smaller notch, but it will have TouchID integrated into the power switch on the side of the phone.

The original iPhone SE, which had the same form factor as the 4-inch iPhone 5S, was discontinued in 2018. Kuo isn't the only analyst to predict that the cheaper iPhone would be making a comeback starting in 2021. But, as MacRumors notes, the latest "SE 2 Plus" speculation lends credence to previous buzz that Apple will move to a four-new-iPhones-per-year release cycle.

So, at the very least, you'll have a couple of normally-charging iPhones to choose from. We hope.