Comment: The iPhone doesn’t need physical cords as much as it used to, which makes the case for an iPhone with no ports stronger.
The Lightning connector has been a part of the iPhone for about 10 years, which is most of the 15 years it has been around. But its time may be coming to an end because the European Union has agreed that all phones will use USB-C to charge by fall 2024.
The decision has added to the rumors that the iPhone will switch to USB-C. But Apple could also go in a different direction. What if Apple made a new iPhone that didn’t have any ports?
That might seem crazy, but hear me out. If you look at how the iPhone’s wireless features have changed over time, it seems like Apple has been slowly laying the groundwork for a fully wireless iPhone. The success of AirPods and the fact that Apple is working on new ways to connect devices without cables, like MagSafe, are both signs that this will happen.
Having an iPhone with no physical ports would also be in line with what Apple said it wanted to do when it announced the iPhone 7, which was the first model without a headphone jack, almost six years ago. Phil Schiller, an Apple Fellow who used to be senior vice president of worldwide marketing, said, “It doesn’t make sense to be tethered to our mobile devices with cables.” He was talking about why the iPhone is moving away from the standard headphone jack. During the same presentation, Apple also showed off the first generation of AirPods.
No one knows for sure if Apple will make a change as big as getting rid of the charging port completely. If Apple did this, they would probably get a lot of negative feedback, and there are still technical problems that could keep wireless charging from being a full-time replacement for wired charging. But the case for an iPhone without ports is stronger than ever because of the EU’s new rules, more pressure from US senators like Elizabeth Warren, and better wireless protocols.