New iPhone 15: Apple forced to ditch lightning charger
The new iPhone will not feature its proprietary lightning charging port after the EU forced the change, Apple has confirmed.
The tech giant said the iPhone 15 will use a USB-C cable as the “universally accepted standard.”
Apple unveiled its newest iPhone at its annual event on Tuesday.
An Apple Watch series was also unveiled with a more advanced clip.
The updates from Apple have failed to impress some analysts.
“It isn’t a surprise given the maturity of the iPhone and Watch,” said Ben Wood from CCS Insight.
“It reflects just how refined the iPhone and Watch devices are and how tough it has become to deliver truly disruptive updates every year.”
New iPhone 15 – key features:
Apple boss Tim Cook said the new iPhone 15 range included the “best and most capable iPhones we’ve ever made”.
- The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have been given brighter screens and improved camera systems, while the high-end iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max now come with a titanium frame, meant to improve its strength.
- The Pro and Max also have an “action button” in place of the mute switch that can be customised for a variety of functions.
- The new Apple Watch will feature gesture control – double tapping two fingers together on the same hand where the device is worn enables wearers to answer or end a call.
But some experts questioned whether consumers would be prepared to pay the high price tags for the devices given that they are not hugely different to their predecessors.
Apple released a USB-C-to-lightning port adapter for £29 ($36). The product connects the lightning port accessories people will have built up over the years to its new USB-C-enabled iPhones or iPads.
The latest iPhone handset, which goes on sale next week, is the first since 2012 to feature an alternative charging port.
