The iPhone 8 will not be replacing its Lightning port for USB-C and the more likely scenario is that a USB-C to Lightning cable may be bundled with the newest iPhone iteration instead. Apple will not be supporting a one-cable-fits-all to the disappointment of many for the Lightning is not only well-established in all Apple products excepting Apple Watch, but brings in added revenues as well.

The rumor that the iPhone 8 will be ditching its Lightning port in favor of a USB-C charger was vaguely mentioned in passing in a Wall Street Journal post. The vague reference to the USB-C was picked up by various sites possibly because the idea of a one-cable-fits-all appeals to many especially those who have grumbled about the advent of the dongles. Add to that the recent move by Apple in standardizing the USB-C in the new Mac, which further added fuel to the rumor. However, the report seems farfetched for the idea of adopting USB-C will not be compatible with the present Apple ecosystem, TNW has learned.

Moreover, Apple already sells the USB-C to Lightning cable at $19 since these are not bundled in the 12-inch MacBook or the New MacBook Pro laptops. For a $1,300 laptop, Apple could have put in the cable for free but why do so when you can earn a sizeable profit out of it. Not only is the Cupertino giant have milked big bucks by licensing Lightning, but it wants to avoid further backlash from consumers according to CNet. Apple has been known to ditch legacy media and ports like it did with the floppy disk, optical drive, the 30-pin in favor of Lightning in 2012 and the latest 3.5mm headphone jack last year.

Moreover, the Lightning and USB-C Quick Charging is already well established and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts an optimized version of the feature for the iPhone 8. Incidentally, Kuo also asserts that all three variants of the iPhone 8 will still have Lightning ports as reported by MacRumors. Other Apple products currently supporting Lightning include all new iPads, iPhones and even the unrefreshed iPod Touch and iPod Nano. Also included in the list are the BeatsX and AirPods wireless headphones as well as the Apple TV remote, which recharges with Lightning.

It is more likely that Apple may go for wireless capabilities instead as have been previously rumored in the iPhone 8. However, a dongle-free iPhone may not be happening in the near future. It appears that the Lightning is here to stay and could be for many years to come.

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Topics IPhone 8, USB-C, Wireless Charging, Apple, Ming-Chi Kuo