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The iPhones of the Future May Be Wireless, Portless and Buttonless (cnet.com)

The first iPhone to shed its headphone jack was the iPhone 7, which launched in late 2016. Now it seems like the Lightning port may be the next to go. CNET reports: Apple has considered removing the Lightning port on the iPhone X, according to Bloomberg, citing unnamed "people familiar with the company's work." While earlier rumors suggested that Apple would remove the Lightning port in favor of USB-C, Apple's goal may be to remove all ports entirely.

Bloomberg's report is about the challenges that Apple faces with its AirPower wireless charger, but it also shares some details about Apple's vision for a wireless future. The report says: "Apple designers eventually hope to remove most of the external ports and buttons on the iPhone, including the charger, according to people familiar with the company's work. During the development of the iPhone X, Apple weighed removing the wired charging system entirely. That wasn't feasible at the time because wireless charging was still slower than traditional methods. Including a wireless charger with new iPhones would also significantly raise the price of the phones."

1 of 249 comments (clear)

  1. Re:They would be more waterproof by arth1 · · Score: 4, Informative

    The phone we had when I grew up did not have a dial, just a small crank where the dial would normally go. Cranking it produced a current that lit up a lamp at the operator's board, and she would ask where to connect us, and tell us how many arms and legs it would cost per minute. For long distance, she would also intercept every now and then during the call to say "four minutes" or similar.
    At my father's work was a small plaque above The phone saying "Express yourself in brevity".

    A more civilized phone for a more civilized time.