The Lightning cable, the connector that has held up most of Apple’s product range for about a decade, has finally been removed from the iPhone with the introduction of the ’15’ series, flagging that the era of the once fast tech is now over. USB-C has taken its place, and with the iPhone now powered by the same multi-functional connector as its Android competitors, it brings to question: When will Apple complete its switch to USB-C across all product divisions?
Because, now that Apple’s flagship mobile device no longer has the Lightning connector, there are quite a few loose ends to tie up. While the iPad and MacBook range have both been powered by USB-C for some time (though newer MacBooks are also charged with Mag Safe), some smaller devices, such as the iPhone SE, Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, Magic Keyboard, standard AirPods, and Airpods Max are all still Lightning-powered.
Even the Apple Pencil in 2022, with its second generation device, switched to USB-C just as the mainline iPad switched to USB-C. Apple still sells the Lightning-powered first-generation Pencil, but you’ll need a Lightning-to-USB-C adapter to connect it to your USB-C iPad. The wonders of technology.
So when will we see USB-C revisions of the rest of Apple’s products? Well, we likely won’t have to wait long.
When will the iPhone SE go USB-C?
As Apple’s budget-oriented iPhone, the SE doesn’t herald a lot of excitement, and the next version (the SE 4) has been going through a production whirlwind, with leakers saying at one point that it was cancelled, then uncancelled, then cancelled again. At the time of writing, and as reported by MacRumors, it’s expected that the iPhone SE 4 would be introduced with USB-C in 2025, with a new Apple-designed modem chip, but obviously, this is quite far off and could change.
When will the Magic Mouse, Trackpad, and Keyboard go USB-C?
In October 2022, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman (a reputable source in the Apple leaks space) said that Magic Mouse, Trackpad, and Keyboard revisions with USB-C could arrive in 2024. The last revision for these three devices was back in 2021, so it’s about time that Apple released an update for the range. Hopefully, with the switch to USB-C, Apple will figure out a better way to charge the mouse.
When will the Apple AirPods and AirPods Max switch to USB-C?
During the iPhone 15 reveal event, the only accessory Apple debuted with USB-C was a slight revision of the AirPods Pro 2nd generation, with the new connector, leaving its Lightning-powered siblings behind. the entry-level AirPods are still Lightning-charged at the time of writing. It’s expected that a revision will arrive in 2024 that’ll bring USB-C, according to The Verge, to match Apple’s AirPods release pattern. The same 2024 release date is expected for the AirPods Max’s first revision, also ushering in USB-C.
With these device categories switching to USB-C, Lightning will only be a cable for older devices, Just like the 30-pin connector when Lightning was first introduced.
RIP Lightning.
Image: Apple/Gizmodo Australia
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