Three cheers for Apple’s switch to USB-C, but with one major caveat

The iPhone 15 series has officially switched over to the USB-C port, but the previously sold AirPods Pro and Magic Mouse still use the Lightning charger.

First introduced in the iPhone 5 series, the Lightning cable has been used for over nine years and has become an icon of the company.

Whenever I travel, I bring the universally used USB-C with me, given that it’s able to charge almost anything, anywhere. USB-C was first introduced in 2014 and is the latest generation of the USB connectors following its precedents USB-A, USB–B and Mini-USB.

Since its release, USB-C has been widely implemented to fit electronics for its maximum power up to 100W and significantly faster data transfer speed of 20 GB/sec, a whopping 40 times faster than that of USB-B, released in 2007.

So, when Apple announced that all new iPhones from the 15 series onwards would use USB-C, customers and tech reviews alike celebrated.

The new iPhones finally support USB 3.2, a USB standard for fast data transfer up to 10 gigabits per second, a speed 20 times faster than USB 2.0 used in Lightning ports. The USB-C ports support directly reading and saving data in an external hard drive as well as recording heavily data-consuming ProRes 4k 60fps format. They can also be used to charge other phones, AirPods and even Apple Watches.

However, millions of iPhone users (including me) are now stuck with various obsolete accessories they have purchased in the past decade — specifically for older models that used the Lightning cable. What are consumers supposed to do with their MagsSafe portable chargers, AirPods and other accessories still using a Lightning charger now?

Courtesy of USB Memory Direct

Out of all different types of USB ports, the Lighting port was a unique one created and designed by Apple.

Although the switch to USB-C is positive, dealing with the consequences of the switch should also be a priority for a company like Apple.

For one, the decision is bound to result in a huge amount of e-waste. According to business reports released by Apple itself, the total revenue the company earned from wearables and accessories, such as fast-charging cables, portable chargers and other accessories, was around $41.24 billion last year — a 36.69% increase from 2021. Assuming the majority of the customers purchased the items varying from $20 to $200 each, the sheer amount of e-waste created by discarding old accessories will be astronomical in the next few years.

While this revenue already seems enormous, it doesn’t even include the sales from certified third-party companies.

Even though Apple developed a robust recycling program in August of 2013, this program only applies for larger electronic devices such as the trade-in program for old iPhones and iPads. There’s no such policy that accepts smaller accessories like charging cables.

Apple should take responsibility for its actions and set up a program to collect these old chargers and recycle them properly. Though the company has made strides in sustainability, such as turning its newest Apple watch carbon neutral, it still needs to realize that the amount of e-waste accessories like cables create are usually exponentially higher than those of properly recycled larger devices.

Of course, this phenomenon of leaving old technology to rot in landfills doesn’t just apply to Apple. The trend of recklessly ignoring the adverse effects of technological advancements is common for nearly all tech companies. In the future, these companies should expand their recycling programs to contain a wider spectrum of side accessories that come in pairs with the devices. Re-examining how environmentally friendly these “ground-breaking” new features or devices truly are before releasing them may solve the issue: overflowing e-waste.

For now, the best destiny for these spare Lightning chargers would be Best Buy’s recycle program, where local Best Buy stores will take any electronics at any condition, including charging cables. However, it’s important that technology companies realize it is still their responsibility to create solutions for recycling obsolete products. For Apple, the priority should simply be broadening their range of items accepted in the recycling program. That would make the excitement over the switch to USB-C truly justified.