We’ve known that the iPhone is switching to USB-C for a while now, but there was always a possibility that Apple would stick with Lightning for one more year. Based on the latest leaked images, however, Apple is all-in on USB-C for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models, with USB-C parts for the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, and iPhone 15 Pro Max all shown in a leaked image by X user fix Apple.
With the switch to USB-C, nearly all of Apple’s devices will have adopted the new standard, with only AirPods, Mac accessories, and the iPhone SE remaining aside from older iPhones and the 9th-gen iPad.
EU is the real MVP. Hoping that a few more years now and we'll have iphone with USB C, app sideloading, user replacable battery. I've never owned an iphone before but if that happens, I might consider one.
If you don't need access to iMessage or are not part of the iCloud ecosystem (i.e. do most/all of your work on a Mac), it's still not worth it. I switched ~3-4 years ago for iMessage and the Lidar sensor. The lidar is shit for technical work, or really anything other than the simplest in-phone diversions. If iMessage were available on Android I'd almost certainly swap back. It's not that the phone is bad, per se, just that there are weird limitations that pop up from time to time that wouldn't exist with an Android device.
Edit: I was going to jump on the 15 for the USBC, but I'll probably wait for the hype to die down unless I get a sweetheart upgrade deal from my provider. My airpod case is still lightning, so there's no economy for me in getting my phone switched over.
I don't really care about imessage or icloud. But apple have a much better track record for providing updates for old iphones. Android is quite enshittified these days. Filled with sponsored unremovable apps, abandonware stock rom, and if you try to use something else like lineage os, it is no longer possible to use banking apps etc. Really all iphone need for me to consider it is sideloading apps which is presumably on its way.
[edit - my first response was combative; I didn't intend it to be]
Sadly, iOS is filled with sponsored, unremovable apps - the only difference is that they are Apple branded. I lock down my notifications pretty hard, and I generally don't subscribe to streaming media. I get regular, invasive pop-ups to join Apple Music and Apple TV+. You can't turn those off, you can't uninstall them. Yes, they keep devices updated for longer, but once you fall out of that period almost none of the apps will work anymore and you can't get versions that will work with your OS revision until you're left with a brick (it's happened on multiple iPads for me). It may be the lesser evil, but it's still annoying at times.
Good to know. That's an interesting app all around.
I moved because of the insular iMessage (including facetime) system my family uses, and have tried several hacks over the years prior to access it on my phone/desktop. During the time we were auditioning apps, there simply wasn't a more reliable mobile system that worked on iOS with the features we wanted (and, trust me, I tried several).