iPhone 15 USB-C Cables Without MFi Badge May Have Data Transfer and Charging Speed Limits

Apple's iPhone 15 series will officially only support USB-C accessories that have been certified by Apple's own Made for iPhone (MFi) program, potentially limiting the functionality of accessories not approved by Apple, an established leaker has now claimed.

iPhone 15 to Switch From Lightning to USB C in 2023 feature
Since being introduced in 2012, first-party and MFi-certified Lightning ports and connectors have contained a small integrated circuit that confirms the authenticity of the parts involved in the connection. Non-MFi-certified third-party charging cables, for example, do not feature this chip, often leading to "This accessory is not supported" warnings on connected Apple devices.

Apple is widely expected to switch out the Lightning port for USB-C on iPhone 15 models, and earlier this month, a rumor out of China suggested that the replacement USB-C port would continue to have a Lightning-like authentication chip, despite USB-C ports on Apple's iPads having no such chip.

In a tweet posted on Tuesday, ShrimpApplePro appeared to corroborate the rumor by claiming that "USB-C with MFi is happening," and that Foxconn is already mass producing accessories like EarPods and cables that conform to the Apple certification.


The authenticator chip is there to encourage customers to buy genuine iPhone peripherals, while Apple receives a commission on MFi-certified accessories and the MFi program makes it easier to expose counterfeit and potentially dangerous accessories.

Despite these advantages, the concern from a user perspective is that Apple could use the MFi program to limit features like fast charging and high-speed data transfer to Apple and MFi-certified cables. And that is precisely what AppleShrimpPro believes we should expect. "Cables with no MFi will be software limited in data and charging speed," said the leaker in a follow-up tweet.

According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the USB-C port on the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus will remain limited to Lightning/USB 2.0 speeds, while faster transfer speeds will be exclusive to the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max models. ShrimpApplePro's tweets add a new complexion to Kuo's prediction.


ShrimpApplePro accurately leaked the hardware design of the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models, giving them an established track record for rumors. Earlier this month, the leaker said the iPhone 15 Pro will feature even thinner bezels around the display. ShrimpApplePro also previously claimed that at least one iPhone 15 model will feature a titanium frame and curved rear edges, which could mirror the curved bezels.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

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Top Rated Comments

MJaP Avatar
30 months ago
This is an incredibly shady, anti-competative, and anti-consumer practice from Apple, I'm surprised they haven't been censured on this before now. We'd be up in arms if Samsung put restrictions on their TVs so you could only use overpriced Samsung manufacturered HDMI cables on Samsung TVs and all other HDMI cables wouldn't work or only allow a 480p SD picture unless cable manufacturers paid royalties to Samsung to make them. All this "it is to ensure a high quality standard and to make sure damage isn't done to your devices" is all marketing BS to cover corporate greed. This practice needs to stop.
Score: 85 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PineappleCake Avatar
30 months ago
There's a limit Apple and frankly they crossed it many times.


But this is over the top. Silly or stupid is what I use to describe it.
Score: 61 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blazerunner Avatar
30 months ago
This is scumbag level tactic by Apple.
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PineappleCake Avatar
30 months ago

We had to know there was a hook to this. No way the EU was going to force Apple to give up all the accessory money they make from Lightning cables and move to USB-C without any of us paying the toll.
Yeah, now I am moving to Android. I am sick of getting penny-pitched by Apple.

Wanna get a height Adjustable monitor, pay more...

Wanna get a more ports on a MacBook, pay more...

Wanna get an iPad with 120hz pay more...

Too much for me.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Phazer Avatar
30 months ago
Hopefully they are completely battered on this by the EU.

I don't like calling for people to lose their jobs, but the people who decided this was a good idea should not be employed by Apple.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PineappleCake Avatar
30 months ago

I don't transfer data between my phone over cable like some caveman. I upload to iCloud and if I need it on my PC i'll download it from iCloud.
Wired will always be faster than wireless.

Wtf are u saying. Wired transfer is up to 40gbps on Apple's devices. AirDrop is piss slow for large files in comparison. There is a reason why Apple includes Thunderbolt on iPad Pros and Macs.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)