Itll have to go eventually, but what will take its place?
The answer is another question: “Maybe nothing?”
Why Is Lightning So Great?
Steve Johnson / Unsplash
First, it was way smaller than the huge dock connector.
Lightning connectors were good because they were faster and smaller than the 30-pin dock connector…
Lightning is also extremely robust.
Apple
There are no moving parts, nor any bits that stick out.
As a charging standard and as a basic data-transfer plug, it’s perfect.
Lightning is also great for Apple because it’s a proprietary connector.
That gives Apple two things it loves: control and money.
But Lightning is far from perfect.
And it’s not like the Lightning connector is even that great anymore.
Most of its advantages are shared by USB-C, and USB-C wins almost everywhere else.
“USB-C is superior in just about every specification.
It allows significantly faster transfer speeds, significantly higher wattage and current delivery, and significantly vaster compatibility.
It even supports the new USB 4 standard,” technology and home robotics expertPatrick Sinclairtold Lifewire via email.
It could even adopt the USB-C plug and add some extra functionality in the name of “innovation.”
It’s not like the USB-C/Thunderbolt spec is a model of functional clarity anyway.
But Apple may never switch to a new plug and socket.
It might ditch sockets altogether.
Enter MagSafe
MagSafe might become the default way to charge an iPhone.
And the iPads are already on their journey to USB-C.
Lightning really is an excellent connector, but its showing its age and may never see a successor.
It did its job, and the rest of the industry caught up, then surpassed it with USB-C.
