Whereas not but formally confirmed, it’s an open secret that Apple will swap its smartphones from the proprietary Lightning charging and knowledge switch port to the common USB-C normal later this yr, following a ruling from the EU. Some Apple watchers stay skeptical that the notoriously cussed firm will truly cave to political strain and quit a bit of its equipment income, however the writing seems to be on the wall with the most recent report from the availability chain.
On Thursday ShrimpApplePro claimed on Twitter that MFi (or Made For iPhone) USB-C EarPods and cables are already in mass manufacturing and have been for some time–one thing the prolific leaker cites as “one of the best proof that it’s occurring.”
Apple’s iconic white EarPods are much less culturally vital than they as soon as have been, due to the rising enchantment of the wi-fi AirPods, the demise of the iPhone’s headphone jack (therefore the Lightning port), and the elimination of bundled headphones from slimmed-down iPhone packaging. However Apple nonetheless sells them and many individuals probably nonetheless purchase them, so changing them to the brand new port normal is not any small activity.
There are nonetheless greater than 4 months to go earlier than Apple unveils the iPhone 15, however many of the main particulars of the launch will by now have been set in stone. And this newest report provides nonetheless better weight to the idea that USB-C is coming to interchange Lightning on all of Apple’s remaining units, not simply the iPhone.