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Apple’s iPhone 15 series has shifted to USB-C as the default port, moving away from the decade-old Lightning connector. This move, influenced by the EU, has been received positively, with many celebrating that they would be able to use a single cable to charge all their gadgets—and not to forget the myriad advantages like being able to use USB-C accessories like SSDs, this move brings.

Does this mean iPhones that still ship with the Lightning connector are outdated and shouldn’t be bought? Well, this needs a detailed answer. So, let us tell you why it may make sense for some people to still buy a Lightning iPhone.

Firstly, we must see Apple’s target market with the vanilla iPhone 14, iPhone 13, and the third generation iPhone SE—the three iPhones it still sells with the Lightning connector. The people buying these iPhones aren’t the most demanding type—all they want is a reliable device that lasts all day when it comes to battery, clicks good pictures of friends and family, and most importantly, can let them text using blue bubbles of iMessage, and yes, FaceTime too.

Now, if you think about it, the iPhone 14 still lets you do all of that, is much cheaper than the current iPhone 15 (USB-C lineup), and is relatable. Also, if you give it further thought, a wide majority of the population may not care about what port their phones have at all as long as it remains functional.

A Decade of Lightning Accessories

Moreover, one can’t also deny that people have all kinds of iPhone accessories laying around considering the Lightning connector has been here for a decade. Not only have people invested in accessories like MagSafe power packs, but also have bought numerous cables and other accessories that still support Lightning. So, if you ask a casual iPhone user to shift to USB-C right away, it may prove to be a big move for them.

Not Everyone Is Going To Take Advantage of USB-C (at least initially)

While USB-C has opened up a host of possibilities for creators and power users, the use case isn’t relatable for the average user. Not everyone will want to shoot in LOG using an SSD, they may not rely on USB-C for reverse charging other products like AirPods—and they may not even ever connect their iPhone to their computers to transfer data or make backups. I remember my maternal grandfather once asking me to transfer his WhatsApp data over to his new phone—and yes—you guessed it right, he had never ever connected his device to his computer because he doesn’t own one. And, I guess, this may be a possibility with millions of such grandparents. They don’t need the fancy USB-C port, and neither do they care about transferring at 10 gigabits a second.

iPhone 15 Series: Cost of Entry

With iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 vanilla models having dropped in price after the introduction of the iPhone 15 series, starting at Rs 59,900 and Rs 69,900, a major chunk of the population that was interested in experiencing iPhones will jump at these models. We are already seeing unprecedented demand for the iPhone 14 during the ongoing festive sales in India, as they have been deeply discounted, with iPhone 13 retaining around Rs 40,000-45,000 and the iPhone 14 available for anywhere around Rs 53,000-57,000.

This is a great price for many people who are looking to switch to the iPhone and want to see what Apple’s ‘walled garden’ is like. Ergo, in a market like India—where price is paramount—having a cost-effective device—albeit with the Lightning connector, may still continue to make sense for the foreseeable future.

Also, in contrast, the new iPhone 15 starts at Rs 79,900 and goes all the way up to Rs 1,59,900 for the base iPhone 15 Pro Max. This may be a tough pill to swallow for most casual buyers who just need a functional ‘iPhone,’ unless, of course, they are power users or want the latest and greatest.

Conclusion: Lightning Still Has Miles to Go

It makes sense for Apple to continue offering Lightning-based iPhones for the foreseeable future due to the aforementioned points, but one thing is for certain that it won’t launch new iPhones with the Lightning port anymore due to EU’s ruing; but until it keeps selling the currently available models with Lightning, it will continue to make sense for the average user to keep buying them.