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My wife and I are upgrading to the iPhone 15 if the ports are USB-C. My wife has held out on two generations of iPhones for this. The products we use outside o

My wife and I are upgrading to the iPhone 15 if the ports are USB-C. My wife has held out on two generations of iPhones for this. The products we use outside of Apple are generally USB-C based that it'll be nice to not have to carry / have around lightning and USB-C cables. I wonder how many others are thinking the same.

paint 3y ago
> My wife has held out on two generations of iPhones for this. Is that a lot? I'm still using an iPhone 11 and honestly don't see a reason to upgrade. My friends who use iPhones are rocking the old ones that are round at the sides. Yet on public transport etc I see iPhone 14's everywhere. Buying a new phone every year or every other year is cringe imo.
- theogravity 3y ago
  I'm not sure. She's on a 12 mini where the battery life has crapped out and a 3rd party replacement didn't make it any better (thought iFixIt's batteries would be better, but guess not), so she has a lot of incentive to swap over. For me, I'm on a 13 Pro. If the 15 didn't have USB-C, I'd probably have skipped the iteration. Since there's USB-C and most likely WiFi-6e support, and I play MOBAs on the iPhone that are sensitive to latency and have WiFi-6e APs, it's reason enough for me to upgrade.
- tony_cannistra 3y ago
  I'm still on my iPhone 11 too. I only recently started getting annoyed at how sluggish apps have felt compared to using my friends' newer phones.
- Aloha 3y ago
  I buy every other year, if for no other reason than my phone is physically worn after two years.
  - paint 3y ago
    A $2 plastic case might help?
    - theogravity 3y ago
      I use the Apple leather case and after 2 years, the case may have worn a bit, but the phone itself is pristine. There is a set of people (like a friend I have) who doesn't like using cases and feel that the point of having a case-less phone is that the phone is meant to be shown off in its bare glory.
      - Aloha 3y ago
        I do use a case. But I will end up wearing out the oleophobic coating on the screen and the battery will no longer last a full day
        theogravity 3y ago
        Screen protector. I use a tempered glass one for $10 that has been replaced once due to just wear from constant mobile gaming in the thumb area.
    - Aloha 3y ago
      I have worn a hole in the oleophobic coating on the screen, tbh. Also the battery typically will no longer last a full day.
- halJordan 3y ago
  It's not a lot. It's not a little. It doesn't have to be a competition of who's more whatever.
CGamesPlay 3y ago
I bought a bunch of USB-C to Lightning dongles with lanyard that tie to the end of the cable. Now I have exclusively USB-C cables with dongles attached to them, and it's almost as good as a native USB-C iPhone.
- theogravity 3y ago
  You still have to carry an additional set of accessories, though. I understand they're tiny dongles.
- tomjen3 3y ago
  Were did you get these? I have been looking for a USB-C female to lightning male connector for some time, but I don't think they exists. What you have found seems to be the closest thing.
  - CGamesPlay 3y ago
    I bought mine at a local phone repair shop, but Amazon is rife with them. Here's a random result which I'm sure you can improve upon. They generally come with a little lanyard of nylon or silicone to permanently tie to your USB cable. https://www.amazon.com/TechMatte-Lightning-Compatible-Headphones-Anti-Lost/dp/B0C5CTK6VW/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3UJ7A02EHXL2M&keywords=usb+c+to+lightning+adapter&qid=1693404785&sprefix=usb+c+to+lightning+%2Caps%2C332&sr=8-5 https://www.amazon.com/TechMatte-Lightning-Compatible-Headph...
    - tomjen3 3y ago
      Thanks. I swear when I searched for them, there wasn't a single one.
Eric_WVGG 3y ago
really bummed that they discontinued the Mini line, looks like I'm going to be the last Lightning user in like 10 years…
- computerdork 3y ago
  yeah, last year, eventhough the current models were the iphone 14, needed a new phone and bought the previous generation's iphone 13 mini, because probably like you, wanted the smaller form factor. It's awesome! Yeah, like you, going to have to hold on to this phone forever... ... although, might buy a foldable when Apple releases one (the Samsung zflip 5 seems really compact and nice!)
greenpizza13 3y ago
I've waited 4 years to upgrade. First it was because our phones were good enough and now it's because the 14 didn't have USB-C.
maxclark 3y ago
We’re in the same boat. USB-C mandatory going forward. I kinda hate that the new MacBook Air went back to a MagSafe charger for this reason.
- skunkworker 3y ago
  Having the MagSafe and the Thunderbolt 3/4 ports is a great combination. it's a welcome change on the road to have magsafe but I use TB3 at home with a dock.
- newhouseb 3y ago
  You still charge through the USB-C / Thunderbolt ports (and use a USB-C to USB-C cable with the provided power brick to do so). The MagSafe plug is just for convenience (and perhaps slightly higher wattage than is normally specced for USB-C on the beefier MBPs).
  - theogravity 3y ago
    Also if you happen to trip over the magsafe cord, the possibility of snapping the connector is non-existent compared to the risk of using a USB-C cable.
    - gumby 3y ago
      It's of course a possibility but the Type C connection was designed to sacrifice the cable part first, both on the "repeated insertion" metric and for cases like this.
      - theogravity 3y ago
        It's more about the computer flying off a table and into a hard surface in the USC-C trip case.
- theogravity 3y ago
  Are you not able use the USB-C port to charge on the Air (or is it more that there's less ports available if you do that)? I'm able to for my M2 Macbook Pro and it has a magsafe port.
redtriumph 3y ago
I have been holding out as well. I will be upgrading from iphone8plus in 2017.
computerdork 3y ago
At least for me, not a huge deal (have one lightning cable and one usbc cable in my backpack amongst a lot of other odds and ends). As for using the port itself, am using magsafe charging so can't remember the last time I plugged anything into my iphone's lightening port. Just my two cents and thanks for the interesting question.
oslem 3y ago
I’ve held out for two generations as well and although USB-C would be nice, having to carry one more cable or an adapter just isn’t enough for me to justify spending >$1,000 on a new phone.

paint 3y ago

> My wife has held out on two generations of iPhones for this. Is that a lot? I'm still using an iPhone 11 and honestly don't see a reason to upgrade. My friends who use iPhones are rocking the old ones that are round at the sides. Yet on public transport etc I see iPhone 14's everywhere. Buying a new phone every year or every other year is cringe imo.

theogravity 3y ago
I'm not sure. She's on a 12 mini where the battery life has crapped out and a 3rd party replacement didn't make it any better (thought iFixIt's batteries would be better, but guess not), so she has a lot of incentive to swap over. For me, I'm on a 13 Pro. If the 15 didn't have USB-C, I'd probably have skipped the iteration. Since there's USB-C and most likely WiFi-6e support, and I play MOBAs on the iPhone that are sensitive to latency and have WiFi-6e APs, it's reason enough for me to upgrade.
tony_cannistra 3y ago
I'm still on my iPhone 11 too. I only recently started getting annoyed at how sluggish apps have felt compared to using my friends' newer phones.
Aloha 3y ago
I buy every other year, if for no other reason than my phone is physically worn after two years.
- paint 3y ago
  A $2 plastic case might help?
  - theogravity 3y ago
    I use the Apple leather case and after 2 years, the case may have worn a bit, but the phone itself is pristine. There is a set of people (like a friend I have) who doesn't like using cases and feel that the point of having a case-less phone is that the phone is meant to be shown off in its bare glory.
    - Aloha 3y ago
      I do use a case. But I will end up wearing out the oleophobic coating on the screen and the battery will no longer last a full day
      - theogravity 3y ago
        Screen protector. I use a tempered glass one for $10 that has been replaced once due to just wear from constant mobile gaming in the thumb area.
  - Aloha 3y ago
    I have worn a hole in the oleophobic coating on the screen, tbh. Also the battery typically will no longer last a full day.
halJordan 3y ago
It's not a lot. It's not a little. It doesn't have to be a competition of who's more whatever.

CGamesPlay 3y ago

I bought a bunch of USB-C to Lightning dongles with lanyard that tie to the end of the cable. Now I have exclusively USB-C cables with dongles attached to them, and it's almost as good as a native USB-C iPhone.

theogravity 3y ago
You still have to carry an additional set of accessories, though. I understand they're tiny dongles.
tomjen3 3y ago
Were did you get these? I have been looking for a USB-C female to lightning male connector for some time, but I don't think they exists. What you have found seems to be the closest thing.
- CGamesPlay 3y ago
  I bought mine at a local phone repair shop, but Amazon is rife with them. Here's a random result which I'm sure you can improve upon. They generally come with a little lanyard of nylon or silicone to permanently tie to your USB cable. https://www.amazon.com/TechMatte-Lightning-Compatible-Headphones-Anti-Lost/dp/B0C5CTK6VW/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3UJ7A02EHXL2M&keywords=usb+c+to+lightning+adapter&qid=1693404785&sprefix=usb+c+to+lightning+%2Caps%2C332&sr=8-5 https://www.amazon.com/TechMatte-Lightning-Compatible-Headph...
  - tomjen3 3y ago
    Thanks. I swear when I searched for them, there wasn't a single one.

Eric_WVGG 3y ago

really bummed that they discontinued the Mini line, looks like I'm going to be the last Lightning user in like 10 years…

computerdork 3y ago
yeah, last year, eventhough the current models were the iphone 14, needed a new phone and bought the previous generation's iphone 13 mini, because probably like you, wanted the smaller form factor. It's awesome! Yeah, like you, going to have to hold on to this phone forever... ... although, might buy a foldable when Apple releases one (the Samsung zflip 5 seems really compact and nice!)

greenpizza13 3y ago

I've waited 4 years to upgrade. First it was because our phones were good enough and now it's because the 14 didn't have USB-C.

maxclark 3y ago

We’re in the same boat. USB-C mandatory going forward. I kinda hate that the new MacBook Air went back to a MagSafe charger for this reason.

skunkworker 3y ago
Having the MagSafe and the Thunderbolt 3/4 ports is a great combination. it's a welcome change on the road to have magsafe but I use TB3 at home with a dock.
newhouseb 3y ago
You still charge through the USB-C / Thunderbolt ports (and use a USB-C to USB-C cable with the provided power brick to do so). The MagSafe plug is just for convenience (and perhaps slightly higher wattage than is normally specced for USB-C on the beefier MBPs).
- theogravity 3y ago
  Also if you happen to trip over the magsafe cord, the possibility of snapping the connector is non-existent compared to the risk of using a USB-C cable.
  - gumby 3y ago
    It's of course a possibility but the Type C connection was designed to sacrifice the cable part first, both on the "repeated insertion" metric and for cases like this.
    - theogravity 3y ago
      It's more about the computer flying off a table and into a hard surface in the USC-C trip case.
theogravity 3y ago
Are you not able use the USB-C port to charge on the Air (or is it more that there's less ports available if you do that)? I'm able to for my M2 Macbook Pro and it has a magsafe port.

redtriumph 3y ago

I have been holding out as well. I will be upgrading from iphone8plus in 2017.

computerdork 3y ago

At least for me, not a huge deal (have one lightning cable and one usbc cable in my backpack amongst a lot of other odds and ends). As for using the port itself, am using magsafe charging so can't remember the last time I plugged anything into my iphone's lightening port. Just my two cents and thanks for the interesting question.

oslem 3y ago

I’ve held out for two generations as well and although USB-C would be nice, having to carry one more cable or an adapter just isn’t enough for me to justify spending >$1,000 on a new phone.