As a longtime Android user, I can live my life cheerfully without caring what kind of charger I carry with me; If I have a charger or USB-C cable, I’m pretty much gold. But after switching from Android to iPhone about three months ago, that unbridled abandonment has been completely destroyed.
That’s thanks to Apple’s decision to stick with Lightning connectivity for the iPhone 13 Pro, my current everyday phone, instead of using USB-C as with most of its other products — let’s not talk about the standard iPad or AirPods Pro.
So, where I once danced a waltz to the nearest London Underground station with a skip in my step to listen to the birds chirping and the sun rising through the damp clouds of Britain, now that same walk is one of dark paranoia and resentment, with my mind moving the gray matter in Trying to remember if I grabbed a Lightning cable before I walked out of my apartment.
And you know what? I’m tired of it. It has embraced the Apple ecosystem, it has accepted the lack of customization of iOS and the walled-garden approach of the App Store in favor of an easy and simple smartphone experience. But I’m angry and confused about the position of the Lightning port that Apple doesn’t seem to be giving up. So much so that if that doesn’t change with the iPhone 14, I’ll probably go back to Android.
iPhone 14 must have USB-C
USB-C connectivity for iPhones has been rumored for a while now, and after skipping the iPhone 13, we’re now hoping it will appear on the iPhone 14 or at least the iPhone 14 Pro.
The iPhone 13 set comes with a USB-C to Lightning cable. Sure, Apple could just make two USB-C terminals and you’re done.
The most obvious reason is that it will give the next iPhone range a port that is now synonymous with most of the iPhone 13 range that comes with a USB-C to Lightning cable! Sure, Apple could only make two USB-C terminals and be done with it…our picks for the best phones, as well as the best laptops. This means carrying one charger to charge all your mobile devices. This also means less need for dedicated cables and charging bricks.
Certainly, different devices use different charging standards; The USB-C PD of the Google Pixel 6 Pro does not work well with the Warp Charge of the OnePlus 9 Pro. But when paid, most USB-C chargers will at least power your phone or tablet over time.
What’s so frustrating about Apple’s Lightning port approach is that the iPhone 13 range comes with a USB-C to Lightning cable! Sure, Apple can only make the USB-C terminal and get it done…
You’ve got a lot of Lightning port accessories out there. But I’m not convinced that there are a huge number of people who use them, especially now that many of the best headphones or the best noise canceling headphones are wireless. I also understand that Apple may not have any obvious motivation to ditch the Lightning port, because doing so doesn’t really serve him and Apple fans will likely flock to the next iPhone regardless.
But if Apple is going to tell us about being green and encouraging recycling, as well as not putting a charging brick in the iPhone box, I feel the next step of responsibility would be to adopt some form of universal charger. After all, this is what the European Commission is seeking. Meaning, Apple may have to adopt USB-C regardless of whether it wants to stay in that market.
Add the fact that USB-C is the prominent port on the new MacBook Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, and iPad Pro, and it’s not as if Apple isn’t used to switching to USB-C.
USB-C and iPhone 14 إمكانات capabilities
Even if I ignore the convenience and logic of an iPhone with a USB-C port, I also think it makes a lot of sense when it comes to unlocking new and interesting features for the iPhone 14, especially the Pro version.
The data transfer speed of a Lightning cable is 480Mbps, while USB-C cables can reach 40Gbps, and as a result can support more high-end peripheral devices than Lightning. We’ve seen this with the iPad Pro, where it can use USB-C to connect to ultra-high-resolution displays, as well as act as an editing suite for photos and videos with the ability to suck up files from DSLRs and other sources.
While the iPad Pro targets such creative work, I see no reason why the iPhone 14 Pro or 14 Pro Max shouldn’t be used in the same way; This is especially true of the Max as it will likely have a 6.7-inch screen similar to the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
I love the idea of taking some photos on my DSLR and then quickly editing them with iOS 15-capable apps and tools. On top of that, I can then paste photos and snapshots with those taken on the iPhone, which gives me a creative pool in the palm of my hand. Alternatively, I can backup ProRAW photos or simply a collection of iPhone snapshots and videos onto a high-capacity external SSD, giving me an extra layer of redundancy in the event that iCloud or Google Photos crashes.
It might be security thinking, but the only reason I see Apple cloud blocking this is to force people to get an iPad Air or iPad Pro to work alongside an iPhone. And it was this cynical thinking that made me refuse to use Apple’s own Lightning port.
In short, if Apple didn’t embrace USB-C for the iPhone 14, I would not only see it as an insult to consumers, but also a move by Cupertino to turn its back on the capabilities of the iPhone. I really hope that’s not the case, but you and I, dear readers, will have to wait until fall before we see what’s next for the iPhone.