The iPhone 8 will still have Lightning port when it comes out later in the year. This is what a well-known Apple insider insinuated very recently.
Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst for KGI Securities who's been on target when it comes to Apple leaks, wrote that the three new iPhones that the tech giant will release in September, including the iPhone 8, will retain the Lightning port. All three will also have support for fast charging through the Type-C Power Delivery technology.
The presence of Lightning ports in the upcoming iPhone 8 has been a point of contention in recent days. Kuo's pronouncement contradicts reports from a few days ago that Apple will be ditching the Lightning port. According to WSJ, the said port will be replaced with a USB-C port. It must be remembered that Apple already utilized USB-C ports on the new MacBook Pro so the probability that iPhones would follow suit is high.
Apple Insider, which got hold of Kuo's research note on Thursday, reports that the fast charging feature of the iPhones will rely on TI's power management along with the Power Delivery chip from Cypress. With the help of these two, the safety of the product and the stability of data transmission will not be compromised during fast charging.
Speaking of, Mac Rumors mentions that data transmission is one of the main factors why Apple is sticking with the Lightning ports. Devices that still use Lightning connectors can transfer data at USB 2.0 speeds while Lightning to USB-C cable supports USB 3.0 speeds. As such, Kuo thinks that the USB-C's high-speed data transmission is still considered as a niche application.
Kuo also noted that having an OLED display will allow the device to utilize a 2-cell L-shaped battery pack design. This will contribute to an even faster charging speed.
