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Sovon Halder

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 3, 2016
563
181
India
Just curious.

A year or maybe two or three? How long before Apple ditches their proprietary lightning interface completely from all of their devices that currently use it?
 

Menel

Suspended
Aug 4, 2011
6,351
1,356
Nobody knows. Ask Tim.

If it lasts as long as the 30pin dock connector, we've got 3 more years.

That's feasible if we go full out with wireless charging and drop any sort of connector. But for integrated devices... having a physically connector as a last ditch save the device firmware load is often seen as critical. I'd guess lightning will outlast the 30pin dock, so lets say we probably have 5-13 years with it.

It's smaller than USB Type C. Supports fast charging and USB3 speed. There's nothing about it that even hints like it needs to be deprecated, and it's a better interface than anything else on the market.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,495
Just curious.

A year or maybe two or three? How long before Apple ditches their proprietary lightning interface completely from all of their devices that currently use it?

No one knows for sure. But I do see Apple retaining lightning for a while yet. Mainly because how ubiquitous it is with the iPad, AirPods, iPhone, iPod and now the Airpower when it releases will be lightning enabled as well.
 

bigjnyc

macrumors G3
Apr 10, 2008
8,322
7,689
I don't know but for whats it's worth I have not used the lightning port a single time since I got my iPhone X... its been all wireless charging and bluetooth headphones.
 

KrisLord

macrumors 68000
Sep 12, 2008
1,748
1,880
Northumberland, UK
I don’t think it’ll go anywhere for years.

There’s minimal benefit in switching to USB-C and it’s still the primary charging method for most people.

I use AirPods and wireless charging. Lightning is only used in the car as CarPlay requires a wired connection (in my car and most others)
 

fischersd

macrumors 603
Oct 23, 2014
5,380
1,942
Port Moody, BC, Canada
When they can do true wireless charging and end iTunes.
Well, if they ditch iTunes, they'll need to give us Apple Music and TV apps for the Mac.

Me, I think they should keep it until they have an elegant alternative (as a backup for device recovery / DFU mode) - me, I'd like to see seamless glass optics built into the steel band where the lightning port is now (would require a cradle or maybe a magsafe-like connector to connect it to your mac). Such an interface would assist with improved water resistance.
 

NoBoMac

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 1, 2014
6,302
5,021
Don't see it happening for a significant while, primarily due to Apple adopting USB-PD (aka USB-C) charging. Tie it to the investment people have made with Lightning connectors/gizmos, wireless charging not as fast (yet) as connected 12W and higher, not everyone wants to go all wireless (count me in re: headphones/earbuds), and you maintain a secondary charging method when wireless not available or broken... no brainer to keep it alive.

ADD:
having a physically connector as a last ditch save the device firmware load is often seen as critical.
Me, I think they should keep it until they have an elegant alternative (as a backup for device recovery / DFU mode)

And this too: need an access port when the need arises.
 
Last edited:

DougFNJ

macrumors 65816
Jan 22, 2008
1,485
1,212
NJ
We will have lightning ports until Apple builds up the “courage” to ditch it.

Seriously though, I think when wireless charging goes more mainstream, and the ability to transfer data can happen wirelessly the way we charge, that may be when it happens. I’m still one that does a full encrypted backup through iTunes and a full restore and sync over 7000 songs plugging in. I would love a single use mat that I could sit the iPhone on, charge, and sync.
 

CTHarrryH

macrumors 68030
Jul 4, 2012
2,967
1,483
I can't see them going to no port soon. Very few cars support wireless CarPlay and wireless charging and I would expect it would be a while before many do that. If no port then they would eliminate a major thing they do - Car Play. But then again Apple is Apple.
 
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JPack

macrumors G5
Mar 27, 2017
13,568
26,262
Lightning v2, v3... They will update it to leapfrog USB, not kill it.

If Apple is making their own application processors, wireless chips, and PMIC, they're not going to use an open-standard connector. If it wasn't invented by Apple, they won't use it, especially on iPhone.
 

KingslayerG5

Suspended
Oct 16, 2017
1,254
1,292
Jony Ive wants to have an iPhone design made out of a single sheet of glass.

Apple-introduced-Air-Power-wireless-charging-pod-iPhone-X-iPhone-8-8-Plus-Apple-Watch-Series-3-AirPods.jpg


There will be some growing pains by 2020's when Apple shifts the paradigm again. The Apple Watch, AirPods, and fast wireless charging is still young. Give them at least 4-5 years to mature.

It took 4 years for Android to grow up. The last 5, it really grew up and then some perhaps more than iOS did. That's where wireless headphones and charging are still are. There will be growing pains even by 2020.

The only standard I will refuse to adopt is e-sim. I already had a bad experience with Sprint and their ESN nonsense. I don't mind adopting to wireless headphones and charging. But no to e-sim. If that's what Apple and Google will try to standardize, forget it. Gives these greedy carriers more leverage.
 
Last edited:

_Refurbished_

macrumors 68020
Mar 23, 2007
2,344
3,066
If Apple goes the with its recent “redesign every 4th year”, my guess is four years.

The iPhone Courage: Wizard of Oz Edition
 

Falhófnir

macrumors 603
Aug 19, 2017
6,146
7,001
Hopefully never as it will likely be to wireless only rather than something sensible like USB C further hampering compatibility of idevices outside apple’s hermetically sealed ecosystem...
 

Jjayf

macrumors 6502
May 31, 2015
334
392
The lightening port is brilliant! It’s as good as anything out there now, and the best part??

No wrong way!! No fumbling around in the dark, no flimsy USB C broken ports. It’s all good.
 

haruhiko

macrumors 604
Sep 29, 2009
6,691
6,245
As long as they don't make phones which are thinner than the port itself, I think lightning will still be there for 4-5 years.
 

thesaint024

macrumors 65816
Nov 14, 2016
1,073
888
suspension waiting room
Don't see it happening for a significant while, primarily due to Apple adopting USB-PD (aka USB-C) charging. Tie it to the investment people have made with Lightning connectors/gizmos, wireless charging not as fast (yet) as connected 12W and higher, not everyone wants to go all wireless (count me in re: headphones/earbuds), and you maintain a secondary charging method when wireless not available or broken... no brainer to keep it alive.

ADD:

And this too: need an access port when the need arises.
Agree. Wireless charging isn't where it NEEDS to be. Not totally convenient and not fast enough. I like my wires for headphones still. I have to say that lightning is a pretty good interface. Small, reversible, customizable to anything Apple wants to do with it. I'd prefer full usb-c, but this was widely adopted before usb-c and was superior to everything at the time. Usb-c is nice though, but not holding my breath.
 

JeffyTheQuik

macrumors 68020
Aug 27, 2014
2,468
2,407
Charleston, SC and Everett, WA
As far as their customers' investment in Lightning cables goes, I don't think that plays into Apple's thinking.
When something better is tenable, then it will be released.

It's not like, all of a sudden, using the 30 pin cable was obsolete. People got a lightning cable with their devices, and they could use the old one as well on their older devices.

There was no "No Soup for You!" moment with the 30 pin cables.
 

JohnSFO

macrumors regular
Jun 10, 2010
149
67
I guess I’m old fashioned I still like to sync my iPhone with the iMac for backups and downloading new software. Mac is the hub.
 
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