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How long before Apple ditches Lightning port completely?

Sovon Halder

Sovon Halder

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 3, 2016
563
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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?
 
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.
 
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Sovon Halder said:
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?
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
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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)
 
maka344 said:
When they can do true wireless charging and end iTunes.
Click to expand...
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.
 
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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:
Menel said:
having a physically connector as a last ditch save the device firmware load is often seen as critical.
Click to expand...
fischersd said:
Me, I think they should keep it until they have an elegant alternative (as a backup for device recovery / DFU mode)
Click to expand...

And this too: need an access port when the need arises.
 
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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.
 
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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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.
 
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.
 
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If Apple goes the with its recent “redesign every 4th year”, my guess is four years.

The iPhone Courage: Wizard of Oz Edition
 
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...
 
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.
 
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.
 
NoBoMac said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
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.
 
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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