Search the Community

Rumors and speculations about Apple’s upcoming product, dubbed the iPhone 17 Air, have taken an uptick in recent months. The device is set to be the thinnest iPhone ever, replacing the Plus variants in the iPhone lineup. However, the iPhone 17 Air might usher in a new era of port-free iPhones for Apple. As Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman writes in his Power On newsletter, Apple has considered ditching the USB-C port with the upcoming iPhone 17 Air and launch its first-ever port-free iPhone. This move, while requiring users to rely solely on wireless charging, could lead to a sleeker, more streamlined device. Additionally, syncing data with iCloud remains the only pathway to access information. iPhones have long been using Lightning ports to charge and download information. However, Apple opted for USB-C with the iPhone 15 lineup - primarily due to EU regulatory pressure - and it might finally ditch all ports from its iPhones in the coming years. As Gurman says, Apple finally decided to keep the USB-C on iPhone 17 Air to prevent further disputes with EU regulators. While a bold move like ditching the charging port from a device will be controversial for Apple, it might soon become an industry standard, and other manufacturers will take the same path. Remember when Apple eliminated the 3.5mm headphone jack in 2016 with the iPhone 7? Many rival firms, industry experts, and even customers criticized Apple for making such a change, but soon after, other firms also followed Apple’s footprint and removed the headphone jack from their devices. It seems that Apple’s customer base is also ready for the change. Apple has been experimenting with the idea of relying solely on wireless charging with the Apple Watch lineup, and it might replicate that for the iPhones as well. Other models of the iPhone 17 lineup are expected to keep their USB-C port too. Meanwhile, Gurman says Apple executives have stated that if the new iPhone 17 Air proves successful, more port-free and slimmer iPhones might be down the road in the coming years. What do you think about a port-free iPhone 17 Air? Should Apple keep the USB-C or switch to wireless charging? Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of February): 874 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

A new rumor suggests Apple might limit data and charging speeds for the unofficial iPhone USB-C accessories in the future. The information comes from Apple leaker ShrimpApplePro who has leaked iPhone 14's Dynamic Island design in the past. While the current iPhone models feature the proprietary Lightning connector, it's widely reported that Apple might switch to USB-C with the iPhone 15 series, well before the EU's mandatory deadline. ShrimpApplePro claims that Apple is working to expand its MFi program for USB-C. They added that Foxconn is already mass-producing accessories like EarPods and cables. This further strengthens previous rumors of Apple working to restrict the iPhone's USB-C port. For the uninitiated, MFi (Made for iPhone) is Apple's hardware certification program for original iPhone accessories. Buying MFi-branded accessories prevents users from purchasing counterfeit products while also bringing in profits for Apple. The program is currently available for accessories based on the Lightning interface. MFi-certified Lightning ports and connectors come with a custom chip that's used to prove they're Apple-approved. If the said rumor turns out to be true, iPhone's USB-C accessories would get the same treatment. It's yet to be known exactly how much difference the software limitations would create if Apple chooses to go with it. An already existing twist in iPhone's USB-C story was added by Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo last year. They predicted that the lower-end iPhone 15/15 Plus would retain the current Lightning/USB 2.0 speeds while the higher-end iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max "will support at least USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3." Governments and organizations, like the EU, have picturized a common charger for mobile devices to curb e-waste and are working to make the required laws. While a majority of Android manufacturers have switched to USB-C, Apple is yet to play its part and ditch the Lightning connector once and for all. Source: ShrimpApplePro via MacRumors Here's how Apple might profit off of iPhone's upcoming USB-C port