Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Would you prefer the next gen iPhone has USB- or Lightning connector?

  • Lightning

    Votes: 32 51.6%
  • USB-C

    Votes: 30 48.4%

  • Total voters
    62

anthdci

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 8, 2009
666
265
Not sure if this has been done but if not, what is your preference?


Lightning- loads of stuff people own is lightening, loads of cables, a couple of sets of headphones, docks etc,

usb-c - cross compatibility, same as ipad pro etc
 
Lightning works for me. I mean, I have so _many_ cables, and all my devices are iOS related (I.e AirPods, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Ect). I just like the simplicity of the lightning cable/port, I’m not against USB-C, I just don’t have a need for it.
 
Have no need for usb c. Don’t own any newer Mac or new iPad and don’t plan on getting one.
 
While I do have plenty of USB-C around for my other devices, I have some lighting accessories that would be inconvenient and expensive to replace with USB-C equivalents.
 
Preferences might change as time progresses. I do have a fair amount of stuff that annoyingly uses micro USB but nothing with USB-c for now.
 
Would love changing over since I have all the adapters and dongles I would need already for my pro. Greatly simplifies travel packing
 
Lighting or bust for 2019 iPhones.

Don’t really see a point for the iPhone to replace lighting with usb c.

Now Usb 4 @ 40 Gbit/s is another story maybe in 2021.
 
The main advantage is lightning is, for apple, no confusion about cables. With USB-C, there are so many varieties. I've bought ones that don't support the higher speed modes, for example. I think different varieties can support different power demands.
 
What's a unique benefit of USB-C, other than the pipe dream of "one cable fits all?" Using the iPhone as an external display? Connecting the iPhone to an external eGPU or high speed data storage array?

What about fast charging compatibility? The only difference is whether you use a charging cable with USB-C on both ends, or Lighting on one end. Since I own zero USB-C cables, it doesn't matter which accessory cable I buy for fast charging. For those who already own cables with USB-C on both ends, USB-C on iPhone would be a convenience. In other words, there's no universally-correct answer.

Since I don't travel with a PC (I'm all-iOS when I travel), the only cable I need worry about is the one that fits all the charging blocks I own. I have extra chargers, since they last longer than the iOS devices they came with. I have extra cables because it's handy. At home, my iMacs all have USB-A, so my "one cable fits all" utopia is my here-and-now. Transition to other cables/connectors is inevitable, but until my Macs all have USB-C, I'll need multiple cable types, regardless.

Altogether, a lot of noise, signifying little. Each person will support what's most convenient for him/her, and just like the notion that one cable can fit all needs, one solution will not fit all needs.
 
The main advantage is lightning is, for apple, no confusion about cables. With USB-C, there are so many varieties. I've bought ones that don't support the higher speed modes, for example. I think different varieties can support different power demands.

I agree, but then they did it with the iPad so why not the iPhone.
 
I agree, but then they did it with the iPad so why not the iPhone.

As per recent Ming reports iPhone 2019 was earlier supposed to transition to USB C but I’m I’m not wrong that has been delayed to 2020.
 
As per recent Ming reports iPhone 2019 was earlier supposed to transition to USB C but I’m I’m not wrong that has been delayed to 2020.

that maybe true I don't know, i was just curious which people would rather and its currently 50/50
 
I’m ready to convert to USB-C.

iPad Pro has it, so the ball’s rolling now. 2020 iPhone/Airpods need to follow suit.

Agreed!
And it only makes sense that they move to USB-C now that even the iPad Pro and MacBooks use it.

I would actually be pretty surprised if the iPhone XI still uses Lightning.
 
It think is a matter of European Union preparing to force the tech companies to switch to usb-c standard. It is not like Apple didn't successfully avoided the 2 years mandatory warranty required by law in EU by pushing the second year to the vendors, but still. Europe is a huge market for Apple, any delays in deliveries or resistance from the European commission, say immediately after they launch the new model in September, would spell disaster for Apple.

So I also vote usb-c. It is simply too dangerous, tactically, to stick to the lightning.
 
I’m ready to convert to USB-C.

iPad Pro has it, so the ball’s rolling now. 2020 iPhone/Airpods need to follow suit.

I don’t forsee the AirPod switching any time to USB-C _yet_, that could be a totally different change, being it’s an accessory to the iPhone, not a core product like the iPhone/iPad. If anything, the AirPods could rely charging solely on reverse charging or wireless charging as a sole method versus using any charging port at all, which would also improve the water resistance.
 
Last edited:
Assuming the Apple will switch all future lines of ipads/iphones to usb-c, you still don't see a reason why Apple would switch Airpods to usb-c? Seriously?
 
Definitely seems split right down the middle then. I'll likely bring this thread back up when the new iPhone does eventually come out.
 
USB-C. I won't be updating before that happens.

What's a unique benefit of USB-C, other than the pipe dream of "one cable fits all?"
For me it is exactly that. I hate having to carry around a multitude of chargers and cables, when one of each should be sufficient. Currently I have to carry two chargers, one with USB-A and one with USB-C. Then I have to carry a cable that ends with Lightning, one with USB-C, and one with USB Μicro-B. At least I don't also have to carry a proprietary one for the camera and laptop anymore, so that's two down.

The pipe dream here is more that we can lower electronic waste, because in 10 years from now, everyone will have USB-C cables and chargers laying around, meaning that likely won't be included with products.
 
I like both connectors. This feels like the closest I’ve been able to get to a single connector for everything so far. Switch, Pokeball plus, MacBook Pro, iPad Pro are all on usb c. If I can get an usb c iPhone and AirPods, I could ditch my lightning cables.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.