We've heard all sorts of rumours about the iPhone 15, covering everything from the specs to the design. One of the most persistent rumours is that the company will finally replace the Lightning port with USB-C – but if new reports are to be believed, this seemingly innocuous move could prove more contentious than we thought.
We've heard tell for a while that Apple is planning a very, well, Apple take on the whole USB-C thing – essentially turning it into a 'walled garden' by requiring MiFi certification for USB-C accessories to work with the iPhone 15. And now, one EU Parliament member has called this "a direct violation of the law". (Happy with Lightning? Check out the best iPhone 14 deals).
A fanmade render of the iPhone 15, complete with USB-C port (Image credit: AppleInsider)
After a streamed debate with the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection, Alex Agius Saliba, said it was a "pity that Apple rejected an invitation for an exchange of views to conform/deny that they are planning to bypass our rules by limiting charging speed to sell only their chargers."
Pity that today @Apple rejected an invitation for an exchange of views in @EP_SingleMarket to conform/deny that they are planning to bypass our rules by limiting charging speed to sell only their chargers. Weather they like it or not fast charging is harmonized by #CommonChargerMarch 28, 2023
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It's curious to hear that Apple might be planning to circumvent EU guidance on offering a common charger, since it's this guidance that's apparently led the company to introduce USB-C in the first place. If anything, this kind of feet-dragging further emphasises that the switch to USB-C isn't one the company is particularly happy about.
Lightning was first introduced in 2012 (Image credit: David Talukdar via Getty Images)
We've already heard that the iPhone 15 Pro will offer faster USB-C transfer speeds than the standard iPhone 15, so it seems clear that Apple isn't too interested in offering a "common" charging port – and if it does indeed require MiFi certification for full functionality, then we're going to be looking at a hierarchy of accessories – with Apple taking a licensing fee for the most useful.
Still, if Apple has been forced to bow to pressure to include USB-C in the first place, then if its 'walled garden' approach falls foul of EU guidance too, perhaps this won't last either. Check out every iPhone 15 rumour we've heard so far, and take a look at the best iPhone 14 Pro deals below.
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Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles.
