Apple has announced that its newly unveiled iPhone 15 will no longer feature the proprietary lightning charging port, following pressure from the European Union (EU). The tech giant confirmed at its annual event on Tuesday that the iPhone 15 will adopt the universally accepted USB-C cable as its charging standard.
Alongside the iPhone 15, Apple also introduced a new series of Apple Watches featuring a more advanced chip. However, some analysts believe that the lack of groundbreaking updates from Apple this year may disappoint certain consumers.
Ben Wood from CCS Insight commented, “It isn’t a surprise given the maturity of the iPhone and Watch. It reflects just how refined the iPhone and Watch devices are and how tough it has become to deliver truly disruptive updates every year.”
To address the transition, Apple has released a USB-C-to-lightning port adapter priced at £29 ($36). This adapter allows users to connect their existing lightning port accessories to the new USB-C-enabled iPhones or iPads.
The decision to switch to USB-C aligns with the EU’s directive to standardize charging ports, aiming to simplify the lives of consumers, reduce costs, and minimize electronic waste by promoting charger reusability. However, critics warn that this move may lead to an increase in discarded cables in the future.
In response to these concerns, Apple used its launch event to make several environmental commitments. The company pledged to make its new Apple Watch range carbon neutral for the first time and increase the use of recycled materials in batteries and other components of the Watch and iPhone.
Furthermore, Apple announced that it will no longer use leather in any of its accessories and aims to achieve carbon neutrality as a business by 2030.
Apple CEO Tim Cook emphasized that the iPhone 15 range represents the “best and most capable iPhones we’ve ever made.” The new models boast brighter screens, improved camera systems, and the high-end iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max feature a titanium frame for enhanced durability. Additionally, the Pro and Pro Max offer an “action button” that can be customized for various functions, replacing the traditional mute switch.
Despite these advancements, some experts question whether consumers will be willing to pay the high price tags for devices that may not differ significantly from their predecessors.
The iPhone 15 starts at £799, while the iPhone 15 Pro begins at £999 in the UK. Paolo Pescatore, analyst and founder of PP Foresight, noted, “Convincing users to fork out for these new devices will not be easy during a cost-of-living crisis. Some will see the new features as incremental, [although] collectively they enhance the overall experience, which is priceless among Apple’s core user base.”
Apple’s shares experienced a slight decline on Tuesday, failing to recover from a sharp drop last week triggered by reports of a Chinese government ban on officials using iPhones. Investor concerns were further fueled by Huawei’s release of a new smartphone series in China.
While the global smartphone market has experienced a decline in shipments, Apple’s numbers have been relatively resilient compared to other major smartphone manufacturers. According to analysts at Counterpoint Research, Apple’s shipments dropped from 46.5 million phones to 45.3 million, the smallest decline among its competitors, as the overall market fell from shipping 294.5 million total phones to 268 million in the second quarter of 2023.