Apple Phases Out Lightning Port in iPhone Lineup With iPhone 16e Launch - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Phases Out Lightning Port in iPhone Lineup With iPhone 16e Launch

With the launch of the new iPhone 16e, Apple discontinued the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone SE, eliminating the last two iPhone models that were equipped with a Lightning port.

lightning connector feature blue
Apple no longer manufactures any iPhones with a Lightning port, and all models in the iPhone lineup feature USB-C. Apple does still sell refurbished iPhones that use Lightning, but its main website and retail locations only offer iPhones with USB-C connectivity.

The new 16e has a USB-C port, as do the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models that Apple also sells. Apple started the transition away from Lightning with the iPhone 15 launch in 2023, and it has completed the move to USB-C in less than two years.

Apple has already overhauled the iPad lineup with USB-C, so Lightning is no longer used for any iPhone, ‌iPad‌, or Mac. Lightning has almost been phased out entirely, but Apple continues to sell the original Apple Pencil and some legacy cables that have Lightning connectors.

Apple will need to offer a small selection of Lightning-based accessories for a few years to come, but we are close to the full sunsetting of the Lightning port and connector.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple's Next Era Begins September 1

Thursday May 7, 2026 10:36 am PDT by
Apple recently announced that Tim Cook will be stepping down as CEO later this year, after 15 years of leading the company. Effective September 1, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus will become the company's next CEO, while Cook will become executive chairman of Apple's board of directors. In his new role, Apple said Cook will assist with "certain aspects" of the company,...
Instagram Feature 2

PSA: Instagram Encrypted Messaging Ends on Friday, May 8

Tuesday May 5, 2026 8:24 am PDT by
Instagram will remove end-to-end encryption for direct messages between users from May 8, 2026. When the date comes around, Meta will potentially be able to see the contents of all messages between users on the social media platform. Encrypting messages has been an optional feature in Instagram since 2023, but in March of this year the social media platform quietly updated a help page to say ...
Apple Event Logo

Apple Just Released a New Accessory

Monday May 4, 2026 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today released a new Pride Edition Sport Loop for the Apple Watch. The band features a rainbow design with 11 colors of woven nylon yarns. The new Pride Edition Sport Loop is available to order now on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 40mm, 42mm, and 46mm sizes, and it will be available at Apple Store locations starting later this week. In the U.S., the band costs $49. There...

Top Rated Comments

BelgianChoklit Avatar
16 months ago
89 of the 91 articles published here today could've been said in 3 articles.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cryates Avatar
16 months ago
“Apple no longer sells any iPhone with ___” has been an abused headline today.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Avenged110 Avatar
16 months ago
For things that didn't require high power or fast data transfer speeds, I've always preferred Lightning. It seems like a much more durable connector.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kirky29 Avatar
16 months ago
Thankfully 99% of gadgets in my house are now finally USB C! Even my toothbrush and shaver! :)
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vegetassj4 Avatar
16 months ago
As Yoda would say:



Attachment Image
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
16 months ago

“Apple no longer sells any iPhone with ___” has been an abused headline today.
Apple no longer sells any iPhone below $500.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)