iPhone 15 with the biggest update in recent years

The next iPhones expected in September could have something no iPhone has yet: a generic charging port.

The new models could include a USB-C port on the bottom of the phone. This is what analysts and reports from many world media predicted. It's the same charging connector used on nearly every laptop sold in the past few years, as well as Android phones, iPads and other devices, from Kindles to headphones, drones and heated blankets.

The USB-C connector would thus replace Apple's own Lightning connector, which adorned all iPhones released from 2012 onwards.

A potential change would represent one of the biggest iPhone improvements in recent years.

iPhone users would no longer need two different cables to charge your phone and other devices, for example, while traveling. Android users could, among other things, lend chargers to iPhone users. They could continue to borrow chargers from those using newer laptops. Schools and businesses could standardize on one type of charger for their entire fleet of devices. USB-C could also enable iPhones to charge faster.

Although Apple has not yet confirmed that the new iPhones will have a USB-C connector, this change will almost certainly happen.

A new regulation adopted by the European Union last year requires USB-C connectors for new smartphones by 2024. Apple will probably not produce iPhones intended exclusively for the European market. "Obviously, we're going to have to adapt," Greg Joswiak, Apple's chief marketer, said last year.

Benefits for consumers, such as reduced dependence on a single producer, were the main reasons for the new regulation. The EU estimates that the relevant rule could save European citizens 250 million euros, which are otherwise wasted per year on chargers. The EU also stated that old chargers annually represent approximately 11,000 tons of electronic waste in the region.

Apple resisted the law for a long time. In a 2021 letter, Apple said the regulation could hinder future charging innovation and potentially confuse consumers with additional information.

Potential weaknesses

Apple's argument about the confusion over the new connector makes a lot of sense. With the USB-C connector, anyone can make cables without Apple's control, which means that not all cables are created equal and some don't work properly. Consumers will also have to choose the correct cable themselves. Nevertheless, Apple will probably mark the suitability of iPhone charging cables as #141. Apple complained about the regulation, but will have to adapt, as the EU requires a USB-C connector. This will make life easier for iPhone users, as they will be able to use the same cables as other devices. In the future, however, Apple probably plans to completely remove the #141 connectors from iPhones.