2019 iPhone Rumor Says Apple Will Dig in Its Heels on the Lighting Port

When the 2018 iPad Pros’s rolled out featuring USB-C charging, many observers got their hopes up that Apple could bring the standard to 2019’s iPhones as well, but that’s already starting to look unlikely. It appears Apple will stick to its Lightning charging standard in the near future, and it’ll continue bundling a 5-watt charger with new phones.

It’s unlikely to be a popular move, most other smartphones ship with fast-charging now, and by clinging to the Lightning standard, iPhone users are seriously restricted from personalizing their devices with accessories, most of which use USB-C. iPhone sales numbers have recently begun flashing warning signs: Research firm IDC released new smartphone figures on Monday revealing that iPhone shipments in China fell 19.9 percent in the fourth quarter. IDC cited the iPhone’s price tag, its slew of new competitors, and a lack of notable innovation. That’s a clear signal that the Cupertino-based company needs to offer something new to its customers, but it’ll likely do the opposite.

This latest disappointing prediction is according to the Japanese tech blog Mac Otakara, which cited sources in the accessories manufacturing industry. It’s a bit of a surprise, as, particularly in the case of Chinese consumers, it’s increasingly unclear why someone would spend big on a new iPhone when they could purchase a slightly cheaper Android device with more accessories and newer features. IDC predicts that Apple needs a game-changer to reverse the trend.

“In addition to the regular performance upgrades in 2018, there is no major innovation to support users to continue to change their machines at the greatly increased price,” stated the IDC report.

All major smartphone brands, like Samsung and Google, have long bundled fast-chargers with their new smartphones. Apple users, by contrast, are forced to purchase Apple’s 12W USB Power Adapter separately after having to pay upwards of $1,000 for the iPhone XS and XS Max models.

Sticking to the Lightning port also makes switching to Apple more cumbersome for Android users. Instead of simply swapping out their phone, they need to repurchase any USB-C accessory they use to adapt to Apple’s standards.

If this rumor proves to be true, Apple will continue to be a tough sell for customers outside of the United States. That’s not a reassuring possibility after CEO Tim Cook started the year by revising down Apple’s revenue projections.