iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus With USB Type-C Port May Debut Alongside iPhone 15 Series: Details

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus were launched last year with Apple's decade-old Lightning port.

Written by David Delima, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 17 August 2023 11:25 IST

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus With USB Type-C Port May Debut Alongside iPhone 15 Series: Details

iPhone 14 was launched by the company last year and a Yellow colourway (pictured) arrived in 2023

Highlights

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are currently equipped with a Lightning port
The handsets could be relaunched by Apple with a USB Type-C port
Apple will have to comply with common charger regulations in the EU

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus were launched last year alongside the company's iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Apple is expected to launch the successors to both phones — the iPhone 15 series — in the coming weeks. A tipster has now suggested that Apple will relaunch the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus this year with a notable hardware modification — a USB Type-C port — in place of the existing Lightning port. Apple is expected to update its smartphone lineup with the modern port in line with regulations in the EU and in California.

According to details shared by an X (formerly Twitter) user Aaron (@aaronp613), a recent tvOS 17 beta rolled out by Apple to testers ahead of the stable release that is expected to roll out in the coming weeks includes references to two iPhone models — "iPhone 14,4" and "iPhone 14,5" — that do not currently exist.

tvOS 17.0 Beta 5 references two iPhone models that currently don't exist:

iPhone14,1
iPhone14,9
— Aaron (@aaronp613) August 9, 2023

The tipster also claims that there were four other models included in the first tvOS 17 beta that were removed in the last release — these are said to pertain to the upcoming iPhone 15 series of smartphones. According to several reports, Apple's upcoming iPhone 15 lineup will be the first phones from the company to debut with USB Type-C ports.

Last year, Apple's Greg Joswiak confirmed that it will equip its iPhone models with USB Type-C ports to comply with EU regulations. However, at the time, the company did not provide details or confirm whether it would launch upcoming models with the modern port — or whether recent models would get the same treatment. Meanwhile, purported images of the new USB connectors for the upcoming iPhone 15 series recently surfaced online.

Apple usually discontinues its existing iPhone Pro and Pro Max models soon after it announces their successors, while the regular models continue to be sold for a few years. The company would still want to offer the iPhone 14 for purchase in the EU when the common charger regulation goes into effect in 2024 — while California's recent law mandating the USB Type-C port on electronics will go into effect in 2026.

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus wouldn't be the first devices from Apple to be relaunched with modified specifications. Back in 2021, the company unveiled the original AirPods Pro with a MagSafe compatible charging case alongside the AirPods Pro (3rd Gen). TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also predicted that Apple will launch the AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) with a USB Type-C port in 2024.

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iPhone 14

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Good overall performance
Great camera quality in daylight
iOS ecosystem and ease of use

Bad
Dated design and notch
Very similar to iPhone 13
Relatively slow charging
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone 14 review

Display 6.06-inch

Processor Apple A15 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 16

Resolution 1170x2532 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 14 Plus

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Good overall performance
Great camera quality in daylight
iOS ecosystem and ease of use
Excellent battery life

Bad
Dated design and notch
Same SoC as iPhone 13 series
Relatively slow charging
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone 14 Plus review

Display 6.68-inch

Processor Apple A15 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 16

Resolution 1284x2778 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone port, iPhone 14 port, USB Type C, Lightning port, iPhone 14 series, iPhone, Apple

David Delima

Email David Delima

As a writer on technology with Gadgets 360, David Delima is interested in open-source technology, cybersecurity, consumer privacy, and loves to read and write about how the Internet works. David can be contacted via email at DavidD@ndtv.com, on Twitter at @DxDavey, and Mastodon at mstdn.social/@delima. More