USB-C becomes mandatory: Apple is actually removing older iPhones from its range
Apple confirms iPhones with a Lightning connector will disappear after Christmas. The devices will probably remain available in stores for longer.
(Image: Sebastian Trepesch)
Apple will soon only be selling iPhones with USB-C in the EU. The manufacturer is thus following the EU directive for a standardized charging port and the German Radio Equipment Act, which has been adapted accordingly. Immediately after Christmas, Apple itself will no longer be selling any iPhones with a Lightning port – either new or refurbished. The company thus confirmed previous reports about the sales stop of older iPhones on Thursday.
iPhone 14, 14 Plus and SE still with Lightning port
Specifically, the iPhone 14, 14 Plus and iPhone SE will disappear from Apple's portfolio. The iPhone 15, the first iPhone with a USB-C port, remains available. On Thursday afternoon, the Lightning models could still be found in the manufacturer's online store.
Apple is currently selling the iPhone 16 series – alongside the latest iPhone –, usually at a price reduced by 100 euros for each of the two previous model generations. Outside the EU, the iPhone 14 is likely to be available from Apple until fall 2025. The entry-level iPhone SE model is considered obsolete; an iPhone SE 4 with a larger display and USB-C is expected in spring 2025.
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Lightning iPhones, including older model generations such as the iPhone 13, are likely to continue to be available in German stores. For retailers, other requirements apply with regard to the uniform charging standard for goods already launched on the EU market, so these can be sold off.
USB-C already in MacBooks since 2015
In addition to smartphones, the USB-C requirement also applies to digital cameras, headphones, tablets, mobile games consoles, keyboards, e-readers, headsets and portable speakers. The deadline is December 28, 2024, with a transitional period until April 2026 only for laptops.
Apple was the last and only major smartphone manufacturer to resist the industry trend towards USB-C for a long time. The company was a USB-C pioneer with its MacBooks, with laptops switching to the then still relatively new interface – as early as 2015, with all connections being available at once.
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