It’s official, after over 10 years of the distinctive flat edge, Apple is getting rid of its Lightning cable for iPhones, beginning with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. That’s right, after forcing everyone and their mother to buy Lightning cables since 2012, Apple is finally swapping over to a more universal cord and port for its iPhone products, the USB-C. I guess we must all evolve at some point, even the iPhone. This means that Apple and Android users will finally be charging their phones on the same port. Additionally, Apple is gearing up its iPhone to become a gaming device, one that can play full games like Resident Evil 4.
In discussing the change from the Lightning cable-powered iPhone to the USB-C-powered one, Apple touts the benefits this iPhone 15 evolution will bring to users. In a release, the company shares, “The new USB‑C connector is supercharged with USB 3 speeds—up to 20x faster than USB 2—and together with new video formats, enables powerful pro workflows that were not possible before.” Of course, it doesn’t note the European Union mandate that all phones sold in the region, including iPhones, have USB-C capabilities by December 2024. This mandate stipulates that a standard USB-C charging port for phones will be good for consumers and the environment. And that seems true.
Who among us has not at some point found ourselves stranded without a Lightning cable at the most inopportune moments? Hopefully, this shift from the Lightning port to USB-C port on the iPhone 15 will make a positive change. Given that Apple Watches, Macbooks, and iPads already use USB-C ports, we don’t expect too many complaints about this final sunsetting of the Lightning cord.
In addition, Apple’s updated AirPods Pro (2nd generation) will also swap lightning to USB-C. And new iPhone 15s will allow users to “charge AirPods or Apple Watch[es] directly from iPhone with the USB‑C connector.”
In addition to amending its port, Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro is bringing with it updated gaming capabilities. A release shares, “iPhone 15 Pro brings true-to-life gaming to the palm of users’ hands with console titles never before seen on a smartphone, like Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 4, Death Stranding, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage.” These AAA titles will not be mobile versions of the games but a full, playable rendition. According to IGN, the iPhone 15 Pro will run at 30 frames per second. Additionally, games purchased for phones can variously run on newer iPads and Macs. Finally, GameSpot shares that the Backbone controller, which lets you transform your phone into a handheld console for games, will soon work with iPhones as well as Androids.
The Lightning-less, USB-C and gaming-friendly Apple iPhone 15 and 15 Pro will be released on September 22. As a final note for heavy photo-takers, the 15 Pro will have a version that offers 1 TB of storage.
