Apple’s proprietary charging connector used from the iPhone 5 through the iPhone 14 family was called Lightning. Apple introduced it in 2012 with the iPhone 5, replacing the older 30-pin dock connector used by earlier iPhones, iPads, and iPods.
Lightning has eight contacts and is reversible, so the plug can be inserted in either orientation. Its smaller size allowed Apple to make newer devices thinner than models using the 30-pin connector. The connection supported charging, data transfer, and accessories such as docks, camera adapters, headphones, and battery packs.
Lightning is often confused with Thunderbolt because both are associated with Apple and high-speed connectivity. Thunderbolt is a separate data-interface standard, while Lightning is Apple’s compact device connector. Micro-USB was common on many Android phones, but it was not the iPhone’s connector.
Apple began moving products toward USB-C before changing the iPhone line. The iPhone 15, announced in 2023, became the first iPhone generation to use USB-C, making the iPhone 14 the last main iPhone generation with Lightning.