Watch How the iPad Pro Launch Revealed a Hint About a 2019 iPhone Overhaul

Tuesday the iPad Pro received a complete makeover, all the way down to its charging jack. This latter change was popular, users have long lamented how Apple devices are essentially incompatible with the charging standard used on virtually every non-Apple produced tech peripheral you might want to use.

The fact that Apple swapped out its Lighting charging standard for a USB Type-C port on its high-end tablet could even be a sign that it might do the same for its 2019 iPhone releases.

There are some distinctions. The new iPad Pro was advertised as an ultra powerful tablet with the capability of doing everything a laptop and graphics pad can. This obviously requires that the device be supplemented by a number of peripherals, like monitors, hard drives, and graphics cards, which for the most part required a USB-C to Lighting Cable adapter to connect to older iPads. But if the new iPads are a hit, the case could grow even stronger for Apple to frame their handsets in the same way.

There are also some signs that the gap between Apple’s handsets and its laptops is shrinking. Both the iPhone XS and XS Max can support up to 512GB of storage capacity and Apple has made it a point to tout their graphical capability. That kind of storage capacity and graphics-focus resemble many laptops on the market. Opening them up to USB-C attachments could be another step in that direction.

iPhones with USB-C: Why Didn’t It Happen This Year?

The new iPad Pros came out a month after this year’s iPhone trio. So why didn’t they also convert to USB-C? Because this was an incremental — “S year” — for the smartphones, which doesn’t typically bring big design overhauls. Next year will usher in the next chapter for Apple phones, which will mean more substantive changes.

The iPhone 7, for example, saw the removal of the headphones jack in favor of AirPods. The iPhone 8 and X brought wireless charging and introduced the notch. This year’s releases simply built on the new look the X established, leaving the door open for much more substantial overhaul next year. Even the name itself could change, the meaninglessness of the XS and XR signals that Apple may be on the hunt for a new naming convention.

iPhones with USB-C: What About Going Wireless?

Apple reportedly thought about completely doing away with the Lightning port in the iPhone X in favor of wireless charging. They decided against it because wired charging was still superior at the time and probably because Apple has yet to release their own wireless charger. This suggests a change like this won’t happen until wireless charging becomes more ubiquitous and less of a hassle.

Imagine for a second having to carry around a wireless charging mat everywhere you go, not ideal. USB-C charging, on the other hand, is compatible with an array of other devices and could tempt Android users to switch without requiring them to buy all new equipment. This could also serve as a way to reel in more consumers right as Apple gears up to go totally wireless.

It’s too early to say, but the iPad Pro’s switch could mean big changes for the other spectrum of iOS devices.