Apple is reportedly planning to move from its Lightning port to a USB-C port. According to popular and reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the company has started testing accessories including AirPods, keyboards and mice that charge via USB-C instead of their usual Lightning cables. This year’s iPhones will however retain the Lightning port.

Some iPad models already moved to USB-C while others still feature the Lightning ports. This switch will be a big change since the Lightning connector first came out in 2012 with the release of the iPhone 5. When the Lightning connector was first announced, it was an innovative, and user-friendly solution. The Lightning cable could be used on any side and could still work. At the time, the micro USB was available and wasn’t as user friendly as the Lightning cable. Then came the USB-C offering a similar design along with faster transfer speeds.

The phase out of the Lightning ports on the Apple devices will definitely take a significant number of years. According to Kuo, a port-less iPhone may cause more problems due to current limitations of wireless technologies & the immature MagSafe ecosystem. By the time the Lightning accessories are discontinued, Apple’s ecosystem should have grown enough to support port-less iPhones seamlessly.

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The exact period when the move of the Apple accessories to USB-C is not known. It is said to happen “in the foreseeable future.” However, it’s predicted that the USB-C iPhone is likely to be released next year.

How do you feel about this possible change with from the Lightning port to the USB-C port?