Does wireless charging excuse Apple not using USB-C?
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/14/16303506/apple-iphone-x-lightning-wireless-charging-qi-standard-usb-c
For almost as long as Apple has been making mobile devices — whether it’s iPods, iPhones, or iPads — the company has clung to its own charging ports, dating back to the introduction of the 30-pin dock connector in 2003 with the third-generation iPod. But for the first time this year, Apple has embraced a universal charging standard on its latest devices. (No, the iPhone X and iPhone 8 aren’t switching to USB-C. They still use Lightning ports.) But by adding wireless Qi charging to its latest devices, Apple may have done the next best thing.
Until now, Apple hasn’t offered wireless charging for its devices, with the limited exception of the Apple Watch, which requires a proprietary cable, and AirPods, which require a proprietary case. But with the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, Apple has finally caught up with the rest of the mobile phone industry in adding a standardized wireless charging method to its flagship devices.