We’ve been covering the small, reversible USB Type-C connector since the days when it was just a USB Implementers Forum tech demo, and in the decade-plus since then, the port has gradually taken over the world. It gradually migrated from laptops to game consoles, to PC accessories, to Android phones, to e-readers, and to iPhones. Despite some hiccups and shortcomings, we’re considerably closer to a single connector that does everything than we were a decade ago.
But some of that confusion persists. A weakness built into the USB-C from the very beginning was that the specification for the physical connector was always separate from the specifications for the USB protocol itself (that is, the data transfer speed a given port is capable of), the USB Power Delivery specification for charging, and the USB-C Alt Mode specification for carrying non-USB signals like DisplayPort or HDMI.
All of these specifications were frequently grouped together so that individual USB-C ports could handle charging, display output, and data transfers (or some combination of all three at once), but they weren’t required to go together, so occasionally users will still run into physical USB-C ports that fall short of the port’s do-everything promise.
Beats has added a new accessory to its lineup of audio products: Beats Cables. Specifically, USB-C and Lightning charging cables. They come in four colors — Rapid Red, Nitro Navy, Surge Stone, and Bolt Black — and feature a woven fabric exterior sheath designed to prevent fraying. They’re available in two different lengths: 1.5-meter (4 feet, 11 inches) and 0.2-meter (8-inch). The longer version can be purchased individually or as a two-pack, while the shorter version is only sold individually at the moment. Strangely, there’s no cost difference between the two lengths. Individually, they’re priced at $19, with the longer-length two-pack selling for $35. You can buy them from Apple.com starting today, with in-store availability starting on April 17.
The new cables come in three different connector combinations: USB-C to USB-C, USB-A to USB-C, and USB-C to Lightning, but only certain colors are available for each. For instance, the 1.5-meter USB-C to USB-C variant comes in all four colors, while the same length of USB-C to Lightning lacks the Nitro Navy color. All of the short, 0.2-meter versions only come in Bolt Black.
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Though they’re called charging cables, they’re more versatile than cables designed just for power delivery. Here’s a breakdown of features:
USB-C to USB-C: Apple/Android for charging, syncing, audio, CarPlay, and transferring data (up to USB 2.0 rates), including lossless audio when used with It charges USB-C compatible Beats headphones (e.g. Beats Studio Pro) and speakers (Beats Pill), or even for the new lossless audio feature on the Apple AirPods Max. When used with compatible hardware, it also supports fast charging up to 60 watts.
USB-A to USB-C: Charging, syncing, CarPlay, and transferring data (up to USB 2.0 rates). Fast charging up to 15 watts on select iPhone and iPad models.
USB-C to Lightning: iOS/iPadOS devices with Lightning ports for charging, syncing, and CarPlay. Fast charging on select iPhone and iPad
models.
If you’re wondering why Beats has decided to start selling its own cables now, it’s worth looking at the current state of the market for wireless earbuds, headphones, and Bluetooth speakers. Beats doesn’t include a charging cable with the Beat Solo Buds or the recently released Powerbeats Pro 2. We’ve seen other companies make the same decison: JBL doesn’t include charging cables with its JBL Flip 7 or Charge 6 portable Bluetooth speakers.
While it may be cynical to move the cost of this essential accessory to the buyer, it’s the right move for the planet. Most of us already own compatible charging cables from previous purchases, and wireless charging is quickly becoming the norm for many of these products. So why include one with every new product?
As to the other obvious question: why buy Beats Cables when less expensive alternatives already exist in great quantities on Amazon? I’ll leave that to your discretion.
Estonia-based company Ampler is launching the world’s first e-bike with USB-C charging. Already known for their subtle hidden batteries, Ampler’s new Nova and Nova Pro bike models have a USC-C port built right into the bike frame and you charge them up with any old USB charger you have lying around.
Available only in Europe, the company says it was able to make this bike a reality thanks to EU laws for standardizing USB-C charging. A 140W USB-C should be able to charge up the batteries in around three hours but with 240W chargers also on the way, it could get even quicker.
Proprietary chargers can be pretty heavy and bulky, so this will be a great win for people who carry their chargers around with them. Plus, if you forget it, you can just grab a USB-C from the office or borrow one from a friend — because everyone in Europe uses USB-C now!
The USB-C port on the Nova bike is bidirectional, which means you can plug in a phone or a tablet and get some power. It will only output 15W (which is not a lot) but it could still help you out if you’re out of juice and need to contact someone.
Both models are available for pre-order today in the UK, EU, and Switzerland. The Nova starts at €2,990 (around $3,230) and the Nova Pro is €3,490 (around $3,770). Each model comes in three different sizes with either a step-through frame or a step-over frame, so most people can find a configuration that suits them.
USB-C might not be mandated by law in the United States but it’s still been widely adopted across phones, laptops, gaming handhelds, and many other gadgets. With any luck, a US-based e-bike brand will jump on this idea soon too — though some American cities should probably build a few extra bike lanes first.
A portless iPhone may no longer be outside the realm of possibility for Apple. The European Union has confirmed that the Silicon Valley giant can create portless iPhones without USB-C.
We reported over the weekend that Apple wanted to make the iPhone 17 Air the first portless phone, but shelved the idea because of regulations in the EU, per a report from Bloomberg. One of those regulations was the Common Charger Directive, an environmental law that forced Apple to switch from the Lightning port to USB-C to reduce the amount of electronic waste from Lightning cables. Now, according to 9to5Mac, European Commission press officer Federica Miccoli said a portless iPhone would also comply with the directive.
“Since such radio equipment cannot be recharged via wired charging, it does not need to incorporate the harmonized (wired) charging solution,” Miccoli said.
By that definition, it would be legal for Apple to sell an iPhone that could only be charged through wireless charging or MagSafe in the European market. The iPhone 17 Air may not be the first phone to not carry a charging port, despite its slim design, but any other iPhone that comes after could be.
In 2023, the iPhone 15 was released as the first iPhone to carry the USB-C port, ditching the Lightning port and the Lightning cable altogether. The switch was made not only to comply with the EU’s Common Charger Directive to create an iPhone with a USB-C port by the next year, but also to make the USB-C port a universal standard for every smartphone on the market. It also alleviated the headache of Android users asking people if they could borrow their chargers to power up their dying phones not knowing if that charger has a Lightning cable or a USB-C cable. Embracing a future of USB-C compatible iPhones did not come easy for Apple, though.
