Why is Apple removing the Lightning port and what could it mean for Android phones?

Whether you love or hate Apple, there’s no denying that the company has a tremendous influence over the smartphone market. Prime examples include the removal of the beloved headphone jack and the rise of the notched display, while the hugely popular AirPods have been shamelessly copied by established brands more than once.

A few days ago, a piece of information about Apple’s 2021 iPhones came out describing another trend that Apple might be about to kickstart. The report, coming from a reliable source, said that Apple is planning to remove the Lighting port from its most expensive iPhone model for that year. The cheaper 2021 iPhones will still have one.

But the Lightning port on the top 2021 iPhone will not be replaced by USB Type-C, as many are probably hoping. The plan is to introduce an iPhone delivering a "completely wireless experience," according to the source. Allegedly, that iPhone will have no charging/data port at all.

This isn’t the first time we hear of a portless phone. Chinese manufacturers Meizu and Oppo have toyed with the idea, even showing prototypes of the devices, but none has made it to the market just yet. Apple considering this move, however, is a whole other ball game.

Why would Apple kill the port?

We’re all familiar with Apple’s pursuit of sleek design, but that wouldn’t be the prime reason for the removal of the Lightning port. In its own words, Apple is a company that believes in a wireless future. Dropping the connector could be a part of that transition, meant to bring both the company’s products – and the industry as a whole – into the next decade.

On top of being in line with Apple’s long-term philosophy, a completely wireless iPhone with no connector would be more durable. It should be easier to secure against water damage, while damaged ports and frayed charging cables could become a thing of the past. No less importantly, removing the port would free up valuable space inside the phone for things like a bigger battery, additional cameras, or 5G antennas.

But if users are at the center of everything the company does, then changes must always bring a better user experience. That would mean providing better alternatives to all the functionality that comes with the Lightning port: charging, data transfer, and connectivity with headphones and accessories.

Of course, there are Apple’s AirPods for anyone wanting to listen to their music on the go. Some users will always miss their wired headphones, but if Apple bundles a pair of AirPods with its smartphones (as some rumors suggest) the number of these users will be significantly lower.
Data transfer is mostly taken care of as well. Apple’s synchronization between its devices and the cloud is very convenient and works seamlessly. People that use an iPhone but not a MacBook or an iMac, however, might require some special attention from Apple if the cable is to disappear. A custom solution might already be in the works at Cupertino.

Wireless charging has been around for years but there’s one major problem with its current implementation. While your device is on a wireless charger, it’s pretty much unusable. Sure, you can check notifications or even scroll through feeds but it’s not a good user experience. Now, by 2021, battery life would surely see improvements, and maybe Apple is betting that no matter what you do during the day with your iPhone, an overnight charge would be enough. Or maybe it’s been developing a technology that would allow not only wireless but also contactless charging. However, given the inefficiency of the process, it seems highly unlikely to see a phone that charges from a distance in the next decade.

An invisible port instead of a no-port?

While there might be no port to plug a cable into, that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be something else to serve the functions of the Lightning port. Perhaps instead there will be several pins cleverly hidden in the frame of the iPhone and a connector that magnetically attaches to them, much like how the keyboard attaches to the iPad Pro or how the Apple Pencil sticks to the side of the tablet and charges. Wireless USB is also a thing, even though you might have never heard of its existence.

An “invisible” port solution would combine the best of both worlds: the benefits of a portless design and the functionality of a wired connection for those that really need it. For some applications you just can’t go wireless, at least not right now and not as soon as 2021 either.

Apple wouldn’t want to mess with all the professionals that use its products and give the brand its hip and creative vibe. So it has come up with a viable alternative to the Lightning port.

Musicians need that zero-latency input that you can’t get with a wireless connection. Photographers need a place to plug in their SD card readers. External hard drives are ubiquitous due to how large video files have gotten. Power banks are another thing heavy users have in their bags.