Appple's new Lightning port is waterproof

Apple is known to be a trendsetter in the world of technology. The company has often taken the liberty to accommodate newer technologies by phasing out popular standards — first the multi-pin port on iPhones, followed by the removal of the headphone jack and the fingerprint sensor. And now, it seems that Apple is trying to do something about the charging port on iPhones and iPads. Patents filed by Apple reveal Apple’s intentions to phase out the Lightning port.

A recently filed patent by Apple in the US mentions a new type of charging port that could be present on future Apple devices. The Lightning port is expected to gain a wedge-shape for protecting iPhones and iPads from water damage while charging. The new connector has a wedge-shaped pin and a rubber gasket arrangement that will squeeze to create a vacuum, making the charging port waterproof and dustproof. The same waterproofing arrangement has been found to be applied to the USB Type-C connectors for waterproofing the Apple laptop ports.

Since this is just a patent as of now, it can be a while before we get to see the implementation in the real world. Apple has already moved to the waterproof standards for its iPhones back in 2016 with the iPhone 7. Therefore, consumers going for the waterproof feature in one of these handsets could find it convenient that their waterproof smartphone isn’t shy of charging itself when the surroundings have a lot of moisture. However, Apple already has already implemented another safer way to charge its iPhones without the need for a port — wireless charging.

(source)