Apple (AAPL) stock just experienced its worst trading week since 2022 and is still showing no signs of a turnaround. The big tech leader has spent the past month mostly trending downward amid difficult market conditions and high economic uncertainty.
With U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs pushing down financial markets, many of the nation’s most prominent tech stocks have struggled significantly over the past month. Apple is by no means the only tech leader that has fallen recently, but its recent performance has shaved $700 billion off its market cap.
The struggling tech stock needs a strong catalyst if it’s going to reverse this trend. But a recent announcement from the company regarding one of its most popular products has left many consumers scratching their heads.
According to reports, Apple may be planning a design change for the smartphone that doesn’t seem like it will be popular with its customers.
Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs is credited with introducing the iPhone to the world.
Apple may be making an iPhone design change that no one asked for
Anyone who follows Apple, or technology in general, will remember the iconic statement from former CEO Steve Jobs in which he said “A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.”
That quote is often used to illustrate the visionary nature of Apple’s team that created and launched the iPhone, ushering in an entirely new phase of both technology and communication. It’s true that prior to the iPhone launch that shocked the world in June 2007, no one had been asking for a mobile phone with the capabilities of a computer.
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However, eighteen years later, Apple’s leadership may be considering making a radical change to the iPhone’s design that customers don’t seem to be asking for. In January 2025, news broke that Apple would be introducing the iPhone 17 Air, a slim device that could be a precursor to a new era in which iPhones no longer have charging ports.
Now, it seems that this plan is moving forward. Bloomberg reports that while the newest iPhone edition will still have the typical USB-C connector, that will only be temporary. As the outlet reports:
“The iPhone 17 Air represents the beginning of a sea change for Apple, ushering in a new industrial design that accompanies this year’s revamped iOS. Apple executives say that if this new iPhone is successful, the company intends to attempt to make port-free iPhones again and move more of its models to this slimmer approach.”
It adds that for customers, “that would mean losing the USB-C connector and going all-in on wireless charging and syncing data with the cloud,” in a way similar to how the Apple Watch charges with no cord.
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Apple has opted against going completely port-free so far, but given the speed at which the iPhone has evolved, it seems almost inevitable that it would want to try a portless design in the fairly new future. However, this raises an interesting question: would consumers want to use a portless iPhone?
Customers are mixed on the prospect of a portless iPhone
Apple customers have actually been debating the concept of an iPhone with no ports for years, with strong arguments coming from both sides. Many Reddit (RDDT) forums are filled with discussions of whether a portless iPhone will ever come and if people want to use it when it does.
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While there doesn’t seem to be a definitive consensus on whether or not eliminating iPhone ports will improve user experience, many prospective buyers have raised concerns as to the reliability of wireless charging and speculated that it might make it harder to power up a phone.
“It is a really dumb idea,” states an anonymous user. “Slow and inefficient charging. Very limited accessories. Limits functionality like connecting to a TV when there is no reliable WiFi. Much harder to diagnose. Most for all, nobody ask for it. Especially now with USB-C the value is much higher. There is nothing it would add to the phone that is even close to what users will lose.”
Others have argued that a future with portless iPhones is inevitable and will arrive someday, no matter how much consumers don’t want it to. Based on recent reports, that day is quickly approaching, and iPhone users will be forced to either adapt or switch to a different manufacturer.
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