- Written by Daniel Thomas
- Business Correspondent, BBC News
iPhone 15 gets a brighter display and an improved camera system
Apple has confirmed that its new iPhones will not have a Lightning charging port after the European Union forced the change.
The tech giant said the iPhone 15, unveiled at its annual event on Tuesday, will use a USB-C cable that is a “globally accepted standard”.
A new Apple Watch series was also introduced, equipped with more advanced chips.
However, one analyst said Apple’s lack of “headline-grabbing” updates this year will disappoint some.
“Given the maturity of the iPhone and watch, this is no surprise,” said Ben Wood of CCS Insight.
“It reflects how much demand iPhones and watches have and how hard it is to deliver great updates every year.”
The new iPhone, which goes on sale next week, is the first since 2012 with an optional charging port.
Some Apple devices – such as the iPad Pro and Mac laptops – use USB-C (left), while the iPhone uses Lightning (right).
The USB-C cable — which already works with many Apple laptops and iPads — will also work with new versions of AirPods Pro earbuds and wired AirPods, the company said.
The European Union has called on the tech giant to remove its charging ports to help make life easier for consumers, save them money and reduce e-waste by encouraging the reuse of chargers.
However, some have warned that the move will lead to an increase in the number of discarded cables in the coming years.
Perhaps in response, Apple used its launch event on Tuesday to make a number of environmental commitments around its new devices, including making the new Apple Watch range carbon neutral for the first time.
It will also increase the amount of recycled materials used in batteries and other parts of new watches and iPhones.
The company has confirmed that it will no longer use leather for any of its accessories and has committed to becoming carbon neutral as a company by 2030.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said the new iPhone 15 lineup is “the best, most powerful iPhone we’ve ever made.”
- The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus come with brighter displays and improved camera systems, while the high-end iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max now come with a titanium frame that is said to improve its durability.
- The Pro and Max have an “action button” instead of a mute switch, which can be assigned different functions.
- The new Apple Watch features gesture control, where the wearer can answer or end a call by double-tapping two fingers of the same hand wearing the device.
But some experts question whether consumers will be willing to pay higher prices for the devices because they differ little from their predecessors.
The iPhone 15 Pro starts at £999 in the UK.
“In the crunch of life, it won’t be easy to convince users to give up these new devices,” said Paolo Pescatore, analyst and founder of PP Foresight. “Some will see the new feature as incremental; [although] “Together, they enhance the overall experience invaluable to Apple’s core user base.”
Apple shares fell slightly on Tuesday, failing to reverse last week’s sharp decline on reports that the Chinese government has banned officials from using iPhones.
Huawei’s launch of a new series of smartphones in China has raised concerns among investors.
The global smartphone market declined from a total of 294.5 million handsets to 268 million in the second quarter of 2023.
However, Apple’s shipments fell to 45.3 million from 46.5 million, the lowest of any major smartphone maker, according to analyst Counterpoint Research.
