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I Had to Replace These 6 Lightning Accessories for My New iPhone
I was looking forward to the iPhone's move to USB-C for a long, long time. But the switch came with some growing pains, leading to me having to replace quite a few of my existing Lightning accessories.
Car Charger
One of the first things I noticed after setting up my iPhone 15 was that my trusty car charger no longer worked. Though Apple did supply a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box, like many cars, mine only has USB-A output.
With most major tech switching to USB-C, you might not have considered picking up a USB-A to USB-C cable, but if it's what your car is set up for, you might need it. It might also be a good time to consider other ways to charge your phone in the car, such as with a wireless stand or a USB-C compatible adapter for your car's 12V outlet.
Power Bank
As a fan of all-in-one devices, my previous power bank had its output cable built in. While good for travel, this also meant I couldn't just switch the cable to USB-C for my new iPhone. There are plenty of excellent power banks out there that let you use any cable you need, which are great options if you run into the same issue I did.
This caused me to make the switch to a MagSafe battery pack, and now I can't imagine using anything else. These do come with the option to charge with a cable, but being able to snap the bank to the back of my phone using MagSafe without having to carry a cable around has been a huge convenience for me.
3.5mm Stereo Adapter
Many mourned the loss of the iPhone's headphone jack, though Lightning to 3.5mm adapters were quickly released as a makeshift solution to this problem. Though not a perfect fix, these still allowed iPhone users to use their 3.5mm headphones and speakers that were missing other forms of input.
As a lover of all things Hi-Fi, it didn't take me long to realize my old adapter wouldn't work anymore. Luckily, most of my favorite DACs and headphones also supported USB-C input, but for the pairs with 3.5mm cables, I had to spring for an adapter. There are quite a few out there, but Anker's nylon adapter has worked perfectly for me so far.
Backbone Controller
As someone who really enjoys mobile gaming, and with Apple's renewed focus on iPhone gaming, I knew I wanted to get playing something as soon as possible. The Backbone One controller is my all-time favorite way to play games on my iPhone, but unfortunately, the one I had been using was Lightning-only.
Though adapters do exist, their success rate with the Backbone seems pretty hit or miss. I decided to spring for a new USB-C Backbone, especially convinced by the added support for various case sizes on the second-generation model.
Connection Kit/Hub
iPhones, especially the Pro models, have almost never failed me in terms of capabilities. For some activities, like photo editing or music production, my Lightning hub was a permanent staple in my travel tech bag. This simple dongle prepared me for almost any situation, from streaming on a hotel room TV to browsing camera pictures.
However, predictably, this hub didn't work with my iPhone 15. Luckily, as someone with a laptop severely limited in ports, I already had plenty of USB-C hubs at my disposal. Most of these work perfectly with iPhone 15, and the heightened data transfer speeds on Pro models are a great reason to start beefing up your iPhone use.
You Don't Need to Replace Everything
If you aren't ready to get rid of your tried-and-true Lightning accessories, you have options. Plenty of Lightning to USB-C adapters exist to solve this very problem, with Apple launching their very own version alongside the iPhone 15. Your collection of USB-A accessories isn't completely obsolete either, as plenty of relatively inexpensive adapters exist to let you keep using them with your iPhone 15.
It all comes down to personal preference, but fortunately there's no shortage of options when it comes to ways to use your existing tech with your new iPhone.
