Apple is gearing up to use USB-C charging for its line of AirPods and Mac accessories in the coming years, according to a report of Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. Lightning’s alleged shift comes as the European Union plans to mandate USB-C charging for new smartphones, tablets and headphones released in the region at the end of 2024. got approval from the European Parliament last week.
To comply with the upcoming regulations, Gurman believes Apple could bring USB-C to the next-generation AirPods, AirPods Pro and AirPods by 2024, while Mac accessories including the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad could make the transition to USB-C as early as next year. Apple will refresh its Mac lineup next year with a new iMac and Mac Pro, and since the release of new Macs typically “coincides with accessory updates,” Gurman says, “it’s a safe bet that those accessories will be in their next incarnation. ” Gurman also believes that Apple will exchange its AirPods before EU law comes into effect.
Earlier this year, a report from Gurman suggested that Apple has already started testing USB-C charging on its iPhones, but we shouldn’t expect them to land on devices at the earliest in 2023. Gurman echoes this belief in this most recent Power On newsletter, adding once again that he thinks Apple will add a USB-C charging port to the iPhone 15, as well as the entry-level iPad that is expected to arrive by the end of this year. year will appear.
As my colleague Jon Porter points out, Apple shouldn’t technically have to comply with the upcoming EU law until it releases the iPhone 17 in the fall of 2025, as there’s a two-year grace period that gives companies (namely Apple) plenty of time to make the switch to USB-C. Despite this, Gurman thinks Apple will “handily beat the expiration date with its most visible products.”
Even if Apple makes the move to using USB-C, Gurman expects its presence on Apple devices to be short-lived. Gurman believes Apple will eventually bring inductive charging to the iPhone and iPad “at some point in the next few years” to circumvent the legislation, as it doesn’t apply to devices that don’t support wired charging.
