Ming-Chi Kuo Says All 2017 iPhones Will Have Lightning Connectors With USB-C Fast Charging

All three iPhones rumored to be launched in 2017 will retain Lightning connectors with the addition of USB-C Power Delivery for faster charging, including an all-new OLED model with a larger L-shaped battery and updated 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Lightning iPhone 7
An excerpt from his latest research note obtained by MacRumors:

New 2H17 models may all support fast charging. We believe all three new iPhones launching in 2H17 will support fast charging by the adoption of Type-C Power Delivery technology (while still retaining the Lightning port). A key technical challenge lies with ensuring product safety and stable data transmission during a fast charge. In order to achieve that goal, we think Apple will adopt TI's power management and Cypress's Power Delivery chip solutions for the new iPhone models. We note the OLED version may have a faster charging speed thanks to a 2-cell L shaped battery pack design.

Kuo expects Apple to retain the Lightning port given it has a slightly slimmer design compared to a USB-C port, to sustain MFi Program licensing income from Lightning accessories, and because he believes USB-C's high-speed data transmission is "still a niche application" for iPhone.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro already supports USB 3.0 speeds and fast charging with a Lightning to USB-C cable, while iPhones and other devices with a Lightning connector still transfer at USB 2.0 speeds.

Kuo's prediction comes just two days after The Wall Street Journal seemingly reported that at least one upcoming iPhone model would have a USB-C port instead of a Lightning connector. However, the report's wording was somewhat vague and sparked a lot of confusing reaction among the Apple community.

Apple's latest MacBook Pro models are equipped with Thunderbolt 3 ports, which share the same connector design as USB-C, while the 12-inch MacBook also has a USB-C port. Apple could still bundle a Lightning to USB-C cable with its next iPhones to allow for connectivity with those notebooks out of the box.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

Klososky Avatar
56 months ago
I hope this means data transfer via Lightning won't still be limited to USB 2.0 speeds.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
noobinator Avatar
56 months ago
Was hoping for USB-C. :(
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnyb098 Avatar
56 months ago
It's nice to see Apple catching up with other manufactures: OLED, edge-to-edge display, big batteries, fast charging and wireless charging have all been available on Android phones for a few years now.
Should they also catch up with the likes of Samsung and make their phones catch fire?
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zaft Avatar
56 months ago
This makes much more sense.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AG.47 Avatar
56 months ago
It's nice to see Apple catching up with other manufacturers: OLED, edge-to-edge display, big batteries, fast charging and wireless charging have all been available on Android phones for a few years now.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zaft Avatar
56 months ago
It's nice to see Apple catching up with other manufacturers: OLED, edge-to-edge display, big batteries, fast charging and wireless charging have all been available on Android phones for a few years now.
true, but the issue with those phones is the word "android".
Software is key.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Top Stories

apple repair service expansion iphone repair 07072020 big

Apple Agrees to Multimillion-Dollar Settlement After iPhone Repair Technicians Post Customer's Private Photos Online

Monday June 7, 2021 2:44 am PDT by
Apple has paid a 21-year-old millions of dollars in a legal settlement after photos and videos from the customer's iPhone, sent in for repair, were uploaded to Facebook, leading to "severe emotional distress," according to a new report from The Telegraph. The incident occurred in 2016 at a repair facility run by Apple supplier Pegatron in California. The 21-year-old college student sent her...
f1623085603

Apple Announces iOS 15: First Look at New Features

Monday June 7, 2021 10:07 am PDT by
Apple today previewed iOS 15, the company's next major update for the iPhone, featuring new video calling capabilities, improvements to Messages, user statuses, a smart notification summary, and more. FaceTime In iOS 15, FaceTime features a new grid view and portrait mode support for video. For audio, FaceTime calls now offer Spatial Audio so that voices sound as if they are coming from...
wwdc 2021 live coverage

WWDC 2021 Apple Event Live Keynote Coverage: iOS 15, macOS 12, and More

Monday June 7, 2021 9:02 am PDT by
Apple's all-online Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) starts today with the traditional keynote kicking things off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. We're expecting to see a number of announcements, including iOS 15, macOS 12, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15, but it's unclear what else we'll be seeing at the event. While there had been some claims of redesigned MacBook Pro models making an appearance...
wwdc 2021 details

Reliable Leaker Suggests No MacBook Pro or Other Hardware Announcements at WWDC Today

Monday June 7, 2021 5:13 am PDT by
In response to a tweet asking if there will be hardware announcements at WWDC 2021, cryptic but reliable leaker "l0vetodream" suggested there won't be any. In a follow-up tweet, he seems to have ruled out new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models being unveiled at this time, suggesting that it is still too early for an announcement. Leading up to WWDC, which kicks off today with Apple's...
f1623088657

Apple Announces iCloud+, Combines Paid Storage With Privacy Features Like Hide My Email

Monday June 7, 2021 11:00 am PDT by
At WWDC, Apple announced that iCloud is getting a premium subscription tier called "iCloud+," which includes "Private Relay" that allows users to browse the web through Safari with all information leaving their device remaining encrypted and access to "Hide My Email." One of the headlining features for iCloud+ is Private Relay, which, similarly to a VPN, ensures that all traffic leaving a...
16 inch macbook pro m2 render

New MacBook Pro Shipments Forecasted to Begin in Third Quarter

Tuesday June 8, 2021 8:28 am PDT by
While leaker Jon Prosser claimed that a new MacBook Pro was coming at WWDC, Apple's keynote did not include any new hardware announcements. Instead, it is looking increasingly likely that redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models powered by a faster iteration of the M1 chip will be released in the third or fourth quarter of the year. A paywalled preview of a DigiTimes report today...
iCloud General Feature

iCloud+ to Let iCloud Mail Users Personalize Their Email Domain Name

Tuesday June 8, 2021 2:41 am PDT by
At its WWDC keynote on Monday, Apple announced that iCloud is getting a premium subscription tier called "iCloud+," which includes tentpole privacy features like Private Relay and Hide My Email. Another feature included in iCloud+ that wasn't discussed in the keynote is the ability to create a custom email domain name. From Apple's iOS 15 features preview page, under the iCloud+ section: Cus...
f1623086988

You'll Be Able to Add Your Driver's License to Your iPhone in Select States Starting With iOS 15

Monday June 7, 2021 10:37 am PDT by
Apple today announced that some users will be able to add their driver's license or state IDs to the Wallet app in iOS 15 this fall. This will be available in select states in the United States. If supported, you'll be able to scan your ID and store it directly in the Wallet app. Apple is working with the TSA to enable airport security checkpoints as the first place customers can user their...
macos monterey

Here Are All the Macs Compatible With macOS Monterey

Monday June 7, 2021 12:17 pm PDT by
macOS Monterey is compatible with many of the Macs that were able to run macOS Big Sur, but it drops support for some older MacBook Air and iMac models from 2013 and 2014. A full compatibility list is below: iMac - Late 2015 and later iMac Pro - 2017 and later MacBook Air - Early 2015 and later MacBook Pro - Early 2015 and later Mac Pro - Late 2013 and later Mac mini -...
new weather app

Apple Reveals Redesigned Weather iOS App With Dark Sky-Like Notifications and Full-Screen Maps

Monday June 7, 2021 10:35 am PDT by
Apple today at WWDC revealed a new iOS weather app with additional features, like full-screen maps and live weather notifications. The new app includes many features similar to Dark Sky, which Apple acquired last year. Apple said that the redesigned app includes more graphical displays of weather data, full-screen maps, and dynamic layouts that change based on conditions. There's also new ...