Lightning is a proprietary computer bus and power connector developed by Apple that was released on September 21, 2012, alongside the iPhone 5 for its range of mobile consumer products. It was also adopted by the 5th-generation iPod touch, the 7th-generation iPod nano, the 4th-generation iPad, the iPad Air, the iPad mini, and subsequent models. It replaces Apple's previous proprietary 30-pin dock connector and is incompatible with cables and peripherals designed for that connector, unless used with an adapter or dongle.
Lightning uses 8 pins rather than 30, and can be inserted with either face up. It is significantly more compact than the 30-pin connector. Lightning received a mixed to negative reception from the technology community, largely due to its incompatibility with any common standards, and the resulting necessity to possess a separate cable for use with Apple devices introduced after 2012. In 2018, Apple began phasing out the use of Lightning connectors in favor of USB-C with the 3rd-generation iPad Pro.[1] Since 2023, the iPhone 15 series and later models also use USB-C instead of Lightning ports.[2]
History[]
The Lightning connector was introduced by Apple during a special media event on September 12, 2012. The connector was introduced as a replacement for the 30-pin dock connector for all new hardware that were announced at the same event. Devices that were intially compatible with the connector were the iPhone 5, 5th-generation iPod touch, and the 7th-generation iPod nano. The 4th-generation iPad and the 1st-generation iPad mini were added as Lightning devices in October 2012.[3]
By the end of 2024, Apple phased out Lightning connectors from most of its product line to comply with regulations in the European Union specifying USB-C as the charging standard for personal electronics.[4] The last remaining product with a Lightning connector, the 3rd-generation iPhone SE, was discontinued on February 19, 2025 with the introduction of the iPhone 16e, an entry-level model featuring a USB-C port.[5]
Technology[]
The lightning connector is reversible.
Lightning is an all-digital 8-pin connector, that can, unlike the 30-pin dock connector, be inserted into the device with either side facing up. The Lightning connector was introduced as an interface to USB 2.0 (for data and charging) or the previous 30-pin dock connector (for USB data and power or analogue audio). The Lightning connector is significantly smaller than the existing 30-pin connector, but slightly larger than the ubiquitous Micro-USB-B connector. To comply with the 2009 Common External Power Supply standard, Apple sells an adapter which converts between Lightning and Micro-USB in the European Union. In 2015, the iPad Pro became the first device to support USB 3.0 speed over Lightning, but only if an updated USB 3.0-compatible Lightning cable is used.
The pins in the Lightning connector span the whole thickness of the plug. In other words, the leftmost pin on one side of the plug and the rightmost pin on the other side of the plug are just the top and bottom side of the same pin. Inserting the plug in one orientation is not electrically equivalent to inserting it the other way around (it is not palindromic). The plug itself incorporates a processor which detects the plug's orientation and routes the electrical signals to the correct pins. Anton Shilov from Xbit Labs suggests that this processor is also an authentication device.
Some 3rd-party cables may be missing a contact pin or two on their Lightning connectors to reduce manufacturing costs. Such omissions may interfere with the Lightning port's ability to support fast charging or data transfer, and are not approved by Apple.[6]
Pinouts[]
| Pin | Function | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GND
|
Ground |
| 2 | L0+
|
Lane 0 positive |
| 3 | L0-
|
Lane 0 negative |
| 4 | ID0
|
Lane 0 ID/control |
| 5 | Vcc
|
5V power |
| 6 | L1-
|
Lane 1 negative |
| 7 | L1+
|
Lane 1 positive |
| 8 | ID1
|
Lane 1 ID/control |
Reception[]
Lightning received mixed to negative reactions from press and users after the event, some praising its improved functionality, somewhat-improved throughput speed and smaller size compared to its predecessor, with others noting that nearly all accessories for previous iPod and iPhone products were rendered obsolete by the new connector. Apple has released an adapter that goes from Lightning to 30-pin, allowing some accessories to work with the 2012 devices. In addition, Apple received criticism for choosing to create a new proprietary connector instead of adopting the ubiquitous and standardised Micro-USB connector.
In addition, the USB end of the connector is much smaller and security latches are deeper making it difficult to get a hold of it to separate it from the power plug or USB socket.
References[]
- ↑ Models with a USB-C connector, Apple Support. Accessed 2022-02-07.
- ↑ Apple debuts iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, Apple Inc. 2024-09-12.
- ↑ Models with a Lightning connector, Apple Support. Accessed 2022-02-07.
- ↑ Report: Apple to Stop Selling iPhone 14 and iPhone SE in EU This Month by Joe Rossignol, MacRumors. 2024-12-13.
- ↑ Apple debuts iPhone 16e: A powerful new member of the iPhone 16 family, Apple Inc. 2025-02-19.
- ↑ Why do some accessory brands have pin 3, pin 2-3 or pin 6-7 removed from Apple's Lightning connector? by Quang Dam, Stack Exchange. 2022-12-29.
External links[]
- Power & Cables: Lightning at Apple
- Lightning (connector) at the Beats by Dre Wiki
- Lightning (connector) at Wikipedia
