Apple’s (AAPL) latest iPhone is nearly upon us, as the tech giant prepares to host its annual fall event at its Cupertino headquarters on Sept.12. And while that means you’ll soon likely be able to get your hands on a faster, more powerful iPhone, there’s one feature that will likely give some users pause: the long-rumored switch to USB-C.
Yes, Apple, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, is finally making the switch from its proprietary Lightning connector to the universal USB-C standard. To be clear, this isn’t something Apple decided to do on its own.
Rather, the company is complying with a new European Union regulation that requires the makers of electronic devices ranging from phones and tablets to video game consoles and earbuds to outfit their products with USB-C ports by 2024.
The idea, according to the EU, is to improve consumer convenience and e-waste. And it’s true, you’ll be able to charge your iPhone 15 with the same charger you use on your MacBook, Nintendo Switch, or Beats headphones.
That means you can, presumably, carry around one charger when you’re traveling for work rather than a rat king of various wires. It also means fewer cables will end up in landfills, since you’ll actually want to hold onto your wires for future gadgets.
But here’s the rub, if you don’t have any USB-C chargers you’ll need to buy a handful to replace your old, useless Lightning connectors.
We’ve been through this once before. Remember when Apple ditched the iPhone’s original 30-pin adapter for the Lightning connector when it debuted the iPhone 5 in 2012? Yeah, that was a pretty big pain. And we’re about to go through it again.
If you use CarPlay and connect your iPhone to your car via a cable, you’ll need to grab a USB-C line. Keep one charger in your bedroom and another in your kitchen? You’re going to need new wires. Like to charge your phone in the office? Yep, you’ll need a new one for that too.
And chances are, if you snag an official cable, Apple is going to make some green off of those sales.
All of that being said, in the long run, the switch to USB-C is a good thing. It’ll make charging your various devices more convenient and cut back on waste.
It’s just going to be annoying for a bit.
Daniel Howley is the tech editor at Yahoo Finance. He’s been covering the tech industry since 2011. You can follow him on Twitter @DanielHowley.
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