Apple is considering using a USB-C port rather than Lightning to charge the iPhone 14, according to a report. It could be the biggest shift for the world's most valuable company's flagship product.
Apple tipster LeaksApplePro details three reasons why Apple is said to be considering the change — faster transfer speeds, environmental concerns and trying to avoid legal troubles, particularly with the European Union, which in September pushed for a common charger for technology devices.
“Much has been said about the iPhone 14, and its release is not even close, but I have received new information that Apple could bring something to the iPhone that many people, myself included, have wanted for years. I am talking about USB-C,” LeaksApplePro said, citing “several sources familiar with the matter".
Apple does not comment on rumours or speculation.
A shift to a USB-C port would once again upend the Apple user base, rendering all Lightning charging equipment for iPhones obsolete in an instant, and could be reminiscent of 2016's iPhone 7, in which Apple controversially removed the 3.5mm audio port in favour of headsets using its proprietary Lightning technology.
With more and more devices, more and more chargers are sold that are not interchangeable or not necessary. We're putting an end to that
Thierry Breton,
European Commissioner for the Internal Market
On September 23, the EU said it wanted a single type of charging port to be used for all devices, with USB-C as its choice. It released draft rules, which were also aimed at reducing waste and simplifying life for those who own multiple devices.
“With more and more devices, more and more chargers are sold that are not interchangeable or not necessary,” Thierry Breton, European commissioner for the Internal Market, said at the time. “We are putting an end to that.”
Apple opposes a standard connector, arguing it risks hurting innovation that can bring more energy-efficient products to the market.
Apple said at the time that it is “concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it”, and that it “deeply cares about the customer experience” and shares the commission’s “commitment to protecting the environment”.
Faster charging and transfer speeds
Apple's Lightning technology supports up to 12 watts of power, while USB-C can go up at 100W, bringing in more power in a shorter period of time to devices.
The bigger advantage would be when it comes to transferring data: Lightning ports are limited at only 480Mbps (60MBps), while USB-C is up to 10 times faster than that at 5Gbps (625MBps).
This makes sense for iPhones, which now have support for ProRes video, a format that enables multistream and real-time editing performance while delivering professional image quality. This naturally means bigger file sizes are expected.
“Let’s say I record two hours of raw 4K ProRes video. That’s a 720GB file. Imagine I want to transfer that file to my computer via a Lightning cable. I would have to wait three hours and 45 minutes. However, if my iPhone has USB-C with USB 4 technology, as found in the new iPad Pro, I would have to wait two minutes and 38 seconds to transfer that same file to my computer,” LeaksApplePro said.
The argument that comes into play here is if Apple truly wants to make its iPhone Pros really perform like “pros”, it should utilise USB-C ports to maximise its performance. USB-C-equipped iPads already have this advantage, so it makes sense to use this on iPhones and make the ecosystem more seamless.
Apple also added MagSafe charging from the iPhone 12 series — another option, albeit a slower one.
Legal ramifications
Apple and technology companies have been in the firing line of regulators who are seeking legislation to control the growing electronic waste mountain. The EU is leading the way with this and the US government is also expected to weigh in on the issue.
Non-compliance can potentially give companies a headache on two fronts: on the legal side, technology companies already facing antitrust probes won't need any more of these. On the financial side, it may be better to invest in shifting to USB-C ports instead of having to pay fines. Either way, a prolonged legal battle will not be in the best interest of Big Tech.
Environment and cost concerns
Last month, Recycling Magazine estimated that the world's waste electronic and electrical equipment will total 57.4 million tonnes in 2021 — more than the total weight of the Great Wall of China, considered the Earth’s heaviest artificial object.
Apple made a move to address this concern by removing charging blocks and EarPods headsets from iPhone 12 boxes last year. The company said at the time that “these changes will cut over 2 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions annually, equivalent to removing nearly 450,000 cars from the road per year".
This leads directly to another advantage Apple could be considering: saving on production costs. The removal of the charging blocks and EarPods allowed Apple to maintain its selling price for its iPhones. For context, a standard charging block and EarPods cost Dh79 each on Apple.
It's just convenient
Another important reason to make the case for USB-C ports is that they are so ubiquitous it just makes sense for Apple to shift gears and use them. Don't forget, the port's also reversible — no more having to guess which way you need to plug it in. It is arguably the de facto standard today, and could be the future of cable connectivity, at least for the foreseeable future.
The Lightning connector was introduced in 2012 on the iPhone 5, as well as on a couple of iPods and iPads, replacing the previous 30-pin dock connector. After that, Apple products relied on the port — until 2018's third-generation iPad Pro, which, for the first time, used a USB-C port.
The latest iPad Pro, iPad Air and iPad mini use the USB-C port, while the standard iPad model, now in its ninth generation, still uses Lightning.
Last week, a fully-functional iPhone X with a USB-C port, created by robotics engineering student Ken Pillonel, was sold for $86,001 on eBay.
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans
Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Real Madrid (2) v Bayern Munich (1)
Where: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
When: 10.45pm, Tuesday
Watch Live: beIN Sports HD
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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BlacKkKlansman
Director: Spike Lee
Starring: John David Washington; Adam Driver
Five stars
ENGLAND TEAM
England (15-1)
George Furbank; Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (capt), Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Courtney Lawes; Charlie Ewels, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Joe Marler
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, Ollie Devoto, Jonathan Joseph
Liverpool’s fixtures until end of 2019
Saturday, November 30, Brighton (h)
Wednesday, December 4, Everton (h)
Saturday, December 7, Bournemouth (a)
Tuesday, December 10, Salzburg (a) CL
Saturday, December 14, Watford (h)
Tuesday, December 17, Aston Villa (a) League Cup
Wednesday, December 18, Club World Cup in Qatar
Saturday, December 21, Club World Cup in Qatar
Thursday, December 26, Leicester (a)
Sunday, December 29, Wolves (h)
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
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Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,600hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.4seconds
0-200kph in 5.8 seconds
0-300kph in 12.1 seconds
Top speed: 440kph
Price: Dh13,200,000
Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,500hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.3 seconds
0-200kph in 5.5 seconds
0-300kph in 11.8 seconds
Top speed: 350kph
Price: Dh13,600,000
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier
ICC Academy, November 22-28
UAE fixtures
Nov 22, v Malaysia
Nov 23, v Hong Kong
Nov 25, v Bhutan
Nov 26, v Kuwait
Nov 28, v Nepal
ICC T20I rankings
14. Nepal
17. UAE
25. Hong Kong
34. Kuwait
35. Malaysia
44. Bhutan
UAE squad
Chaya Mughal (captain), Natasha Cherriath, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Mahika Gaur, Priyanjali Jain, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Judit Peter, Esha Rohit, Theertha Satish, Chamani Seneviratne, Khushi Sharma, Subha Venkataraman
