Apple rolls out its new iPhone 15 — and embraces USB-C

Apple will abandon its unique Lightning port in the next generation of iPhones and Apple Watches, the company announced Tuesday.

Apple will abandon its unique Lightning port in the next generation of iPhones and Apple Watches, the company announced Tuesday.

All new Apple products, including the forthcoming iPhone 15, will no longer be manufactured to fit the proprietary chargers Apple has used to charge its devices since 2012. Instead, Apple will introduce USB-C, a far more common port used to charge most other phones and gadgets. 

The change comes after the European Union passed a law last spring requiring USB-C charging ports for all cellphones by the end of 2024. The new E.U. requirement was sanctioned in an effort to reduce e-waste and make a common charger for all consumers, nudging Apple to adjust its products globally, including in the less regulated U.S. market.

The iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus will be available in five colors: black, blue, green, yellow and pink.AppleThe iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be available in four finishes: black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium and natural titanium.AppleBesides a new charging connection, the iPhone 15, which Apple also announced Tuesday, will come with an improved 48-megapixel main camera and a brighter display. The iPhone 15 Pro will have a titanium case, making it lighter and stronger than its counterparts. Both the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro come in two sizes, 6.1 and 6.7 inches. The iPhone 15 Pro also comes with a new action button, replacing the ringer toggle on the side of iPhones with a button that can perform a variety of customizable actions.

The new iPhone also comes with satellite roadside assistance, allowing users to call for help for their vehicles without any service. Apple will partner up with AAA in the U.S. for the new feature.