Apple Reportedly Testing iPhones With USB-C Instead of Lightning Port

Is it almost time to say goodbye to the Lightning port?

Apple in recent months has been testing future iPhone models that replace the Lightning port with a USB-C connector, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing unnamed people with "knowledge of the situation." The company is also reportedly working on an adapter that will let future USB-C iPhones use accessories designed for the Lightning connector.

The Bloomberg report comes after Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this week predicted in a tweet that USB-C could land on the iPhone 15 in 2023. Rumors have popped up over the past few years that Apple may drop the Lightning port on the iPhone in favor of USB-C, as the tech giant has been gradually shifting over to USB-C on many of its products.

"My latest survey indicates that 2H23 new iPhone will abandon Lightning port and switch to USB-C port," Kuo wrote Wednesday, without offering specifics on the survey. He added that "USB-C could improve iPhone's transfer and charging speed in hardware designs."

Kuo's timeline was seconded by Bloomberg, which reported that an iPhone with USB-C would come in 2023 at the earliest

Apple didn't respond to a request for comment.

Apple has been shifting over to USB-C on many of its products, including MacBooks in 2015, the iPad Pro in 2018, the iPad Air in 2020 and the iPad Mini last year.

USB-C is an industry standard that covers much of the electronics world, offering data transfers and letting people use one charger for multiple devices. With a power upgrade to 240 watts last year, people can also use USB-C to plug in devices like gaming laptops, docking stations and 4K monitors. European Union regulators have also been pushing for phone and other electronic devices to include a common USB-C charging port.

The upcoming iPhone 14, expected to be released later this year, will likely hold on to the Lightning port. There have also been rumors of a completely portless iPhone, but it's not clear when (or if) those will come true.