Apple Reportedly Testing USB-C iPhones, Which May Signal The End Of The Lightning Port

Until recently, Apple did not seem keen on ditching the decade-old Lightning port. And why would they? The company was making millions of dollars selling accessories that needed to be Lightning port compatible for them to work with iPhones. Apple has required accessory makers to pay them for the privilege of giving them access to its ecosystem as long as there’s been an iPhone. Apple continued to milk this privilege even after the rest of its product lineup — including iPads and MacBooks — already supported the now prevalent USB-C standard for various purposes.

Instead, the sudden change of heart seems to have been the result of unrelenting pressure from the European Union. The EU, for the past few years, has been pressing for a common standard for wired connectivity options on smartphones and smart devices, a move that Apple has resisted until now. With the EU on the brink of passing new legislation mandating all device manufacturers to adhere to a common wired connectivity standard, Apple is seemingly left with no option but to begrudgingly fall in line and give in to the EU’s demands.