Multiple USB-C Apple Accessories Reportedly Planned, All-New 'Stackable' MagSafe Battery Pack in Development
Apple is planning to refresh many of its accessories to add a USB-C port following the transition away from Lightning on the iPhone 15 lineup, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman told MacRumors.
On the most recent episode of The MacRumors Show podcast, Gurman said that Apple is seeking to move to USB-C across its lineup of accessories by next year, including all of its AirPods models and Mac accessories. The transition will apparently be relatively fast, mirroring the transition to the Lightning connector following its introduction in 2012.
"They're going to need to do a new MagSafe Duo with USB-C," Gurman said, and Apple "certainly can update the MagSafe battery pack" to add USB-C. It is not entirely clear if these refreshed accessories will be introduced at Apple's "Wonderlust" event on Tuesday, September 12.
Gurman also mused that the now-discontinued Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock could be reintroduced with a USB-C port. Although Apple needs to refresh a large selection of its cables and accessories relatively quickly, he is "not expecting any curveballs or any brand new types of accessories" to be announced at the iPhone 15 Apple event.
In addition, Gurman explained that a new MagSafe Battery Pack is in development, but it is likely not yet ready to be introduced. The next-generation battery pack involves a new concept that allows users to "daisy-chain" multiple battery packs together by stacking them and wirelessly charge multiple devices at the same time. For example, it will be possible to charge two iPhones at the same time, with one placed on either side of the battery pack. It will also, of course, feature a USB-C port.
Gurman said that he does not think the new AirPods Pro with a USB-C port on the charging case, due to be announced next week, will be marketed as "third-generation AirPods Pro." The third-generation AirPods Pro will be a more significant update launching next year or early 2025, Gurman claimed. Listen to The MacRumors Show podcast for Gurman's full thoughts and expectations.
Popular Stories
2024 is just a few days away, and there are many iOS 17 and iOS 18 features that are expected to launch throughout the year. Below, we have recapped new iOS features expected in 2024, including Stolen Device Protection, collaborative Apple Music playlists, AirPlay on hotel room TVs, app sideloading in the EU, next-generation CarPlay, roadside assistance via satellite outside of the U.S., RCS ...
Apple released the first beta of iOS 17.3 earlier this month, and the upcoming software update includes two new features so far. iOS 17.3 will likely be released in January like iOS 16.3 and iOS 15.3 were, but February is also a possibility if testing is prolonged. Below, we provide additional details about the new features in iOS 17.3 so far. Stolen Device Protection Earlier this...
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models concurrently, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
Inverse's Raymond Wong today published an in-depth overview of Apple's increasing push towards high-end gaming on the Mac. The story includes commentary from Apple marketing managers Gordon Keppel and Leland Martin. One of the biggest reasons that gaming has improved on the Mac in recent years is the switch from Intel processors to Apple silicon, resulting in MacBooks providing...
Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 are back in some of Apple's retail stores in the United States today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Select stores will have availability today, while all stores will have the Apple Watch models back in stock by December 30. Online sales of the devices are set to resume tomorrow by 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Apple is able to begin selling ...
Apple's iPhones include several headline camera features that are worth using, such as Portrait Mode and Photographic Styles. But if all you want to use is the standard photo mode, there are still several tools and settings that can improve the composition of your pictures and help you capture the perfect shot using more traditional techniques. Whether you are the owner of a new iPhone or a...
The ban on imports of Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models has today been temporarily paused, meaning that the devices can now go back on sale for a short while longer in the United States. Apple filed an emergency request to the United States Court of Appeals following President Biden's decision to decline a veto on the sales ban, allowing it to take effect earlier this week. ...
Top Rated Comments
- A MagSafe wallet I can secure Yale keys in on a night out?
- A MagSafe thin asthma inhaler for the same use? Admittedly this would need some serious investment.
- a laser rangefinder for DIY jobs?
- a spirit level that I can just pull off when needed?
- a rear set of shoulder buttons for gaming?
- a pocket watch case for an Apple Watch giving you an external rear display?
- a magnetic ring flash or macro light?
- a Swiss Army EDC knife set into a rectangular shape?
- an emergency USB-C hub for other devices?
- A magnetic beer mat? I can’t be the only one who rests drinks on the back of my phone when it’s on the arm of the sofa
- A gimble like device that rotates 180 degrees to hold your phone with?
- a camera grip with a shutter button?
- an 8bitdo-style rectangular SNES controller you can just pull off and play with?
- a weather station packed with sensors to measure local humidity and temp accurately?
- a non-invasive blood glucose monitor?
- Just something simple to dock a Siri Remote to?
These are all off the top of my head and all would be useful to someone to have just in their pocket or bag, snapped onto their phone.