Our Bubbles May Be Different, But At Least We Can Charge Together

I’m not sure I believe that Google and Apple will ever find common ground when it comes to messaging. Our bubbles will forever divide us. It is, well, what it is. But something did happen today that has united the world of Android and iPhone that we should at least come together to hug over – charging.

The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro now have USB-C ports for data transfers, connecting to things, and yes, charging. The Lighting cable is almost dead or has at least begun its slow retirement, since only these new iPhones (and some iPads) have left it behind. Still, this is meaningful, because man, do we have some USB-C cables in the house!

Like, we’ve been on USB-C since at least 2015 when Google launched the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5x on us. While those were early days and the support or reliability of certain chargers from Amazon was questionable, we’ve come a long way. Now, USB-C chargers and cables mostly just work, unless you buy a OnePlus phone. But Samsung and Google and Nothing and Motorola and basically everyone else, is just doing straight-up USB-C. It’s nice!

It’s nice because when we want to charge our computer or phone or tablet or Nintendo Switch or PS5 controllers or Pixel Buds or remotes, we reach for the same cable. If we own chargers from Anker (like this one) or one of those similar companies, then that charger is often fast (and smart) enough to charge all of those things at high speeds too. USB-C has been awesome.

You know what hasn’t always been awesome? When there has been an iPhone around and it needs to charge. Sure, iPhones do really fun MagSafe charging and the Lighting cable is super slick at popping into an iPhone, but that’s kind of it. They charge nothing else except other iPhones and older AirPods at this point (new AirPods Pro are USB-C too!). So if an iPhone shows up to the house or your car and all you have are USB-C cables, things could get awkward if that iPhone was in desperate need of some juice.

That’s why this switch to USB-C for our iPhone friends is a big deal. We can coach them through the good and bad of USB-C chargers, tell them about our favorite cables, and be ready whenever they need us. We’re so ready.

Now, about that messaging experience…