A New Industry Standard

Lynn Students Share Thoughts on Apple’s New Charger

By Connor Markey, Co-Editor-in-Chief

After more than a decade, Apple has finally stopped featuring the Lightning connector on its flagship iPhone model.

While Apple has been known to introduce a new design with each new iteration of their smartphone, that trend has slowed since the release of the iPhone 12, with each subsequent release following a similar design.

This has not changed with the iPhone 15; however, longtime Apple users will notice a significant change.

Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector is nowhere to be seen. In its place is the same USB-C port that has become standard across the mobile phone industry.

“I think it’s good because the newer iPad has it, too, so then you don’t need to have two different cables for your phone and iPad,” said Gabriel Rodriguez, a Lynn student. “We have a huge problem with recycling stuff, especially electronics, a lot of that stuff just goes to the dump.

“I think it’s a great investment to not be carrying a new charger all the time,” said Gustavo Lopez, another Lynn Student.

The switch to USB-C follows a bill passed in 2022 by the European Union, mandating that all electronic device manufacturers must use a USB-C charger for their devices by 2024.

While the ruling only forces devices released in the European market to make the change, Apple appears to be incorporating the port worldwide, making the iPhone 14 the last iPhone model to feature a Lightning port.