Rumor Recap: What to Expect From the iPhone 15's USB-C Port

All four iPhone 15 models launching later this year are expected to feature a USB-C port instead of Lightning. This change means the iPhone will support a more universal charging standard, benefit from faster data transfer speeds, and more.

Apple Prefer USB C Lightning Feature Remake
Below, we have recapped rumors about the iPhone switching to USB-C, including potential speed differences, other Apple accessories adopting USB-C, and more.

Speed Differences

While all iPhone 15 models are expected to have a USB-C port, only the Pro models will support at least USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3 for faster data transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps, according to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. He expects the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus to remain limited to USB 2.0 speeds of up to 480 Mbps like Lightning.

iPad Pros gained Thunderbolt 3 support in 2021, while the USB-C port on the latest iPad Air is capable of up to 10 Gbps transfer speeds.

Made for iPhone Optimizations

Apple plans to optimize the fast-charging performance of chargers certified under its "Made for iPhone" program on iPhone 15 models, according to Kuo. Uncertified cables will allegedly have limited charging and data transfer speeds. It's worth noting that Apple does not limit uncertified cables for iPads with USB-C ports, so this would be a different approach with the iPhone if this rumor proves to be accurate.

Apple Accessories Moving to USB-C

With the iPhone 15 switching to USB-C, several Apple accessories are expected to follow suit:

The latest Siri Remote for the Apple TV already features a USB-C port.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 15 series in September. Many more changes are rumored for the Pro models, including a titanium frame, faster A17 Bionic chip, thinner bezels around the display, Wi-Fi 6E support, and more.

Related Roundups: iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

NLLV Avatar
7 months ago
It is getting harder to love apple when they do things like intentionally cripple a universal standard.

From the sounds of it, we will be locked into special USB cables even if we pay more for the Pro series phone to get the best fast charge and data speeds.

It is a little excessive, at least to me.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jwilson25 Avatar
7 months ago
" He expects the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus to remain limited to USB 2.0 speeds of up to 480 Mbps like Lightning."

Sorry, but this is ridiculous.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
7 months ago
Can we get USB-C color-matching cables specific to the iPhone color, please?

For example: How we have USB-C MagSafe 3 Cable in different colors.



Attachment Image
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Choco Taco Avatar
7 months ago
The point of moving to USB-C (aside from the universal standard) is the speed. Making it the same speed as lightning would be incredibly stupid.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RalfTheDog Avatar
7 months ago
No more Freddie Mercury cables. This makes me sad. "Thunderbolt and Lightning very very frighting me!" Perhaps they could name their next cables Galileo Figaro.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vegetassj4 Avatar
7 months ago

Can we get USB-C color-matching cables specific to the iPhone color, please?

For example: How we have USB-C MagSafe 3 Cable in different colors.


The've got more important things to worry about the color schemes for, like the new Polishing Cloth™ Pro:



Attachment Image

Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple card 1

Apple Ending Apple Card Partnership With Goldman Sachs

Tuesday November 28, 2023 3:09 pm PST by
Apple is ending its credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs, according to The Wall Street Journal. Apple plans to stop working with Goldman Sachs in the next 12 to 15 months, and it is not yet clear if Apple has established a new partnership for the Apple Card. Apple and Goldman Sachs will dissolve their entire consumer partnership, including the Apple Card and the Apple Savings account....
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.2 Beta 4

Tuesday November 28, 2023 12:18 pm PST by
Apple is wrapping up development on iOS 17.2, with the update expected to come out in December. While we're getting to the end of the beta testing period, Apple is still tweaking features and adding new functionality. We've rounded up everything new in the fourth beta of iOS 17.2. Default Notification Sound Under Sounds & Haptics, there's a new "Default Alerts" section that allows you to ...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.1.2 With Security Fixes

Thursday November 30, 2023 10:12 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2, small updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating systems that Apple introduced in September. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 come a few weeks after the release of iOS 17.1.1, another bug fix update. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update....
Apple 5G Modem Feature Triad

Apple to Discontinue Custom 5G Modem Development, Claim Reports

Wednesday November 29, 2023 4:19 am PST by
Apple is discontinuing in-house modem development after several unsuccessful attempts to perfect its own custom 5G modem chip, according to unconfirmed reports coming out of Asia. According to the operator of news aggregator account "yeux1122" on the Naver blog, supply chain sources related to Apple's 5G modem departments claim that the company's attempts to develop its own modem have...
All New CarPlay Five New Features Article 2

What to Expect From All-New CarPlay, Still Listed as Coming 'Late 2023'

Tuesday November 28, 2023 7:44 am PST by
At WWDC in June 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, increased personalization, and more. Apple's website still says the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in "late 2023," but it has not shared...
Apple Logo

Apple Discontinued These 5 Products This Year

Monday November 27, 2023 7:03 am PST by
As the end of 2023 nears, now is a good opportunity to look back at some of the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Apple products discontinued in 2023 include the iPhone 13 mini, 13-inch MacBook Pro, MagSafe Battery Pack, MagSafe Duo Charger, and leather accessories. Also check out our lists of Apple products discontinued in 2022 and 2021. iPhone Mini ...
iOS 17

iOS 17.1.2 Update for iPhone Likely to Be Released This Week

Monday November 27, 2023 8:24 am PST by
Apple will likely release iOS 17.1.2 this week, based on mounting evidence of the software in our website's analytics logs in recent days. As a minor update, iOS 17.1.2 should be focused on bug fixes, but it's unclear exactly which issues might be addressed. Some users have continued to experience Wi-Fi issues on iOS 17.1.1, so perhaps iOS 17.1.2 will include the same fix for Wi-Fi...
iOS 17

28 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in December's iOS 17.2 Update

Friday December 1, 2023 2:57 am PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 28 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released this December. 1. Help...