iOS 13 beta hints the iPhone 11 may be set to adopt USB-C

iPad Pro 11-inch (2018)
Last year's iPad Pro, which switched to USB-C. Image Credit: TechRadar

Ever since Apple switched from a Lightning adapter to USB-C on the latest version of the iPad Pro, rumors have suggested the next iPhone may do the same.

The clearest evidence yet has come from within the iOS 13 beta itself. 

Someone spotted an image of a phone being plugged in to a Mac, and it has a new cable that looks similar to a USB-C connector.

You can see the image in the tweet below, but it clearly looks like a USB-C port rather than a Lightning adapter that has a more distinctive look in Apple's past animations.

Considering iOS 13 is heavily rumored to be launching alongside the iPhone 11 and the company's other new iPhones in 2019, we can expect this will be for a next-gen device from Apple.

Apple switched to USB-C to allow for more power on the iPad Pro as well as more functionality through one port. That includes Thunderbolt 3 and DisplayPort functionality, all through one cable rather than having a variety of other ports.

That means the next generation iPhones may allow for faster charging, but apart from that it's currently unclear why Apple intends to bring the functionality to newer devices.

With the iPad and Mac now using USB-C, it may be just to ensure you only need one type of charger across the board. We likely won't know anything for certain until September this year, when we're expecting to hear about the next iPhone.

Via Phone Arena

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James Peckham

James is the Editor-in-Chief at Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.