According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, all three AirPods series and Mac accessories like the Wonder Keyboard and Wonderpad could make the transition to the USB-C interface by 2024.
Earlier this week, the European Union Parliament approved a new directive that requires manufacturers to offer USB-C as a universal charging interface for a wide range of devices in Europe by the end of 2024. In his latest ‘Power On’ newsletter, Gurman says that Apple has been preparing for these new legal requirements.
Gurman believes that Apple will have most of its products compliant with the legislation by the end of 2024. He claims that Apple’s iPhone 15 series will switch to USB-C in the autumn of 2023, a year before the EU requirement. The entry-level iPad, the only iPad still with a Lightning connector, is expected to switch to USB-C by the end of the year.
Gurman also speculated that Apple could release a new iPhone SE with a Lightning connector instead of USB-C in March 2024, in time for the new law to take effect and be available in the EU.
Gurman notes that Apple will be making several major Mac updates next year, including the new iMac and Mac Pro. The Mac accessories that go with them will also switch to the USB-C connector.
But Gurman doesn’t think Apple will stay with the USB-C connector for long – the previous 30-pin iPod connector and Lightning connector lasted 11 years – and Apple is aiming for a transition to the wireless era with some future version of the AirPower wireless charging pad, for example.
