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The upcoming iPhone 12 refresh should retain Apple’s Lightning port and there are apparently no plans whatsoever to replace it with USB-C like on the iPad Pro tablets because the Cupertino tech giant is ostensibly going all-in on wireless charging next year.

That doesn’t necessarily mean wide-range wireless charging capability.

Apparently, the iPhone releasing in 2021 will combine existing Qi wireless charging and the magnetic Smart Connector used for data transfer and syncing, which debuted on the iPad Pro.

This is according to Apple leaker Fudge” (@choco_bit) who says that she was able to personally test ‌iPhone‌ prototypes with USB-C ports. However, those supposed models apparently won’t be entering mass production because Apple’s leadership has allegedly made the decision to retain Lightning I/O on this year’s models before going port-less in 2021.

The Smart Connector was designed to transfer both data and power between iPad Pro and the Smart Keyboard without requiring batteries or charging. The leaker explained in another tweet that the Smart Connector won’t be the primary charging method on the 2021 iPhone 13 models because customers will be “expected to go wireless charging mainly”.

That might indicate a faster Qi wireless charging than Apple’s currently 7.5W implementation.

If that’s true, then the Smart Connector may act as a replacement for the Lightning port in terms of accessories. As a result of this transition, all the existing Lightning accessories either won’t work on the iPhone 13 or some sort of an adapter might be needed (whether included in the box or, more likely, sold separately).

Fudge previously shared details about unreleased Apple products, including a set of images recently shared on social media that purportedly show an iPhone 12 sporting a smaller notch and an updated rear camera system showing what appears to be a LiDAR scanner that made its debut in the 2020 iPad Pro refresh.

Is port-less the future of the smartphone, do you think?

Let us know in the comments down below!