It’s time for Apple’s Lightning port to die. You know it, I know it, and Apple knows it.
No one likes change, even though change is a fundamental, almost DNA-level part of technology and innovation. However, a decade after Apple unveiled the Lighting port and associated cables with the iPhone 5, we’re ready for more universally accepted ports and plugs.
Lightning Port is now a decade old and it was launched on September 12, 2012 with a similar concern. You see, the smaller 8-pin connector was separating Apple’s much wider (and more widely used) 30-pin connector that was there before the introduction of the iPhone.
An entire industry was built around that connector. If you’ve owned an iPod of any generation up to the iPod touch 5th generation, you probably also had a dock from the Griffin (opens in new tab), connected to the large speaker. It wasn’t uncommon to walk into someone’s house and pop your iPod or iPhone into your speaker dock to fill a party with the prog-rock sounds of your personal playlist.
End of another port era
The news of Apple discontinuing the 30-pin connector was met with alarm. We all have multiple 30-pin charging cables and accessories.
When the iPhone 5 shipped in 2012, Apple did its best to address the concerns by offering a 30-pin connector-to-Lightning port plug adapter. I still have some in my drawer.
Accessory makers were a little less nervous than users were. They were still selling speakers, docks, third-party charging cables and adapters to millions of older iPhone, iPad, and iPod owners.
Perhaps being more visionary than others. “You can still find Logitech speaker dock products at retail that work with older Apple devices, but we’re getting ready for wireless Christmas,” Logitech told WiredUK (opens in new tab) at the time. In other words, Logitech predicted the rapid growth of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled audio. However, wireless charging was still not a thing.
a necessary change
Apple’s reasoning for dropping the 30-pin connector was clear then. First, a plug with no moving parts would be cheaper and easier to manufacture. In addition, the company was making more powerful devices and, for example, increased the number of charge- and connectivity-related components to make room for larger batteries and other more useful components (better and more powerful A-series chips, more). needed to be cut. Sensitive and sophisticated haptics, and a far more powerful, larger and higher-resolution screen). Maybe Apple just wants to make room for NFC contactless payment technology.
If and when Apple kills the Lightning port, though, the reasons won’t revolve entirely around technology considerations.
As I write this, the EU is pressing Apple to stop using its proprietary charging system, which requires proprietary lighting cables. This is not because the EU prefers USB-C, but because doing so can reduce e-waste. While the EU measure is not binding and Apple has “expressed concern,” I doubt Apple will conform to one or two iPhone update cycles. Rumors now point to a USB-C port on the iPhone 14, but probably for the iPhone 15.
I guess it’s possible that Apple could surprise us and introduce a USB-C port on an iPhone 14 model, probably the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
However, whatever Apple does, our world won’t come crashing down around us because Apple closed the Lightning port.
we will survive
At first, we were saved by Apple discontinuing the 30-pin connector. I remember having some panic before, during, and straight after the launch of the iPhone 5, but it quickly subsided. We had our old cables in case we still wanted to use them with older equipment, but our new ones shipped with new cables (and adapters – those were the days). Also, iPhone 5 sold out (opens in new tab) within a few days of launch. I think we all have decided back then we can live with change.
In short, we had as many spare lighting cables as we once had with 30-pin connectors. Soon, we learned that although these cables were lightweight and easy to carry, they were no less prone to wear and tear than previous cables. Have you ever seen “Turtle Neck (opens in new tab)” Lightning port cable? You know, when the cable sheath starts to break and bunch up just before the business end of the cable? Or you might have noticed the collar sitting right behind the 8-pin plug crack.
Well, these plugs are not some precious thing that we need to cherish and protect.
It’s time to light cables and ports (oh yeah, that port that often gets so clogged with dust and debris that you can’t charge your phone without digging in first).
What Logitech introduced in 2012, the wireless future has not only passed for audio, backup, and data transfer. Current (iPhone 13) and future iPhones will feature wireless charging, MagSafe-style. Maybe we should be asking ourselves if future iPhones even need a port. Apple is apparently already asking this question.
When Apple introduces its first USB-C iPhone, followed by the iPad, you should welcome the change. Not only will the port open up some new fast-charging capabilities, but you’ll notice that the cables you may have had for any other gadget produced in the past five years now work with your new iPhone as well.
It’s a win, so get over it.
