We’ve had several reports that indicate that the iPhone 15 lineup will finally replace the proprietary Lightning port with the more versatile USB-C port. Although faster transfer speeds via the USB-C port are still plausible, the USB-C cable that the iPhone 15 models will ship with might not support the faster data speeds.
Research Majin Bu has analyzed the specifications on the USB-C cables that were leaked recently, and he concludes that those cables are capped at USB 2.0 speeds or 480 Mbps.
New iPhone 15 USB C Cable Info Confirmed
1.6M long
16Pins
Thicker and more resistant
USB 2.0 20V3A
No MFI pic.twitter.com/WV4unodWPg— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) August 23, 2023
On the other hand, ChargerLAB previously discovered a Thunderbolt controller in the iPhone 15’s USB-C port, so this could mean one thing. Apple could make the Thunderbolt speeds exclusive to the Pro models and limit the data transfer speeds to USB 2.0 on the standard models. This is previously applied to how Apple differentiates the USB-C port on each of the iPad models, especially when you look at the tech specs for each of them.
- iPad 10: USB 2.0 (480 Mbps)
- iPad mini 6: USB 3.0 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
- iPad Air 5: USB 3.0 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
- iPad Pro: Thunderbolt (40 Gbps)
Because Apple could bundle its USB-C cables at USB 2.0 speeds for each iPhone 15 model, even the Pro models, Apple can still sell its existing Thunderbolt cables separately at an additional cost. This will boost profit margins even more for Apple.
The final specifications for the USB-C port on each iPhone 15 model remain to be seen, but we’ll absolutely get the final details once Apple announces the said product next month. Make sure to follow us on @Appleosophy to hear even more stories on the upcoming products.