Earlier this week, I discussed how Apple has often declined to make all of its products USB-C compliant. Do you remember that? I must say that I couldn’t be happier to be eating crow. Two significant Apple products will embrace USB-C charging in 2019 according to a well-known Apple analyst.
Taiwanese analyst Ming-Chi Kuo frequently provides forecasts about the future of the market and technology as they apply to mobile devices. The majority of Kuo’s (impressively accurate) predictions concern Apple, including whether the business would abandon Chinese production, how geopolitics affect Apple’s supply chain, and how consumers may anticipate fluctuating device costs when new models are released. On Tuesday, Kuo tweeted that, despite the new AirPods Pro 2 being introduced later this year with Lightning charging, all AirPods models will be USB-C compatible in 2023.
Kuo’s theory is consistent with the extremely high probability that Apple will include USB-C compatibility in the iPhone 15 when it is released in the same year. According to a source familiar with Apple’s intended device evolution, the company was considering replacing USB-C compatibility for its upcoming iPhones in May, according to Bloomberg. In the same month, Kuo made a reference to a “study” (presumably conducted by component suppliers) that claimed USB-C would eventually replace the Lightning port by late 2023.
It’s in Apple’s best advantage to quickly adopt USB-global C’s compatibility. The European Union decided earlier this summer to mandate USB-C charging for smartphones, tablets, e-readers, wireless headphones, and other portable electronics by the end of 2024. According to reports, the decision was made due to both financial and environmental considerations. Having to buy a different kind of charger for every mobile device not only adds to long-term costs, but it also frequently results in the creation of e-waste when an outdated device is recycled and its charger is rendered obsolete. For months, Parliament had been pressuring the European Commission to choose and implement a universal charger. After making that final decision, Apple is forced to adopt complete USB-C compatibility if it wants to continue competing in the European market.
Those who plan to upgrade their Apple products in the near future might be dissatisfied if Apple can’t make the conversion to USB-C before the end of the year. The iPhone 14’s charging port, which almost certainly requires the standard Lightning cable, cannot be changed. However, there’s a potential that early adopters of the AirPods Pro 2 will be able to buy a USB-C charging case for their headphones in 2019. Simply put, it will be expensive.
