iPhone 15 USB-C Cables Again Said to Be Limited to USB 2.0 Transfer Speeds - MacRumors
Skip to Content

iPhone 15 USB-C Cables Again Said to Be Limited to USB 2.0 Transfer Speeds

by

All iPhone 15 models this year are expected to adopt USB-C ports for the first time, and while USB-C has several advantages over Lightning, another rumor today suggests that Apple's standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models are unlikely to enjoy any increase in data transfer speeds following the transition.

1
According to leaker Majin Bu, who has previously shared details about Apple's new cables, the USB-C cables supplied in iPhone 15 boxes are indeed limited to USB 2.0 data transfer speeds at a rate of 480 MBps, which is the same as Lightning.

In contrast, rumors converge on both iPhone 15 Pro models supporting higher USB-C transfer speeds. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 15 Pro models will support "at least" USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3. For comparison, the iPad Pro features a Thunderbolt port for transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps, while the entry-level iPad’s USB-C port is limited to just 480 Mbps.

With the higher-specification data transfer speed, iPhone 15 Pro models will therefore be able to transfer video and other file types much more quickly than the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.


Each iPhone 15 will include a braided USB-C charging cable in the box that is thicker (i.e. more durable) and 50% longer than the Lightning cable that comes with current iPhone models, according to reports. The cables are also rumored to be color-matched to possible new iPhone colors, coming in at least black, white, yellow, blue, and orange.

Tag: Majin Bu
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Just Released a New Accessory

Monday May 4, 2026 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today released a new Pride Edition Sport Loop for the Apple Watch. The band features a rainbow design with 11 colors of woven nylon yarns. The new Pride Edition Sport Loop is available to order now on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 40mm, 42mm, and 46mm sizes, and it will be available at Apple Store locations starting later this week. In the U.S., the band costs $49. There...
Read Full Article
iOS 27 on iPhone 17 1

iOS 27 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Saturday May 2, 2026 8:43 am PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8, and there are already many rumored features and changes for iPhones. The first developer beta of iOS 27 will likely be available immediately following the keynote, and a public beta typically follows in July. Following beta testing, the software update should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in...
Read Full Article • 95 comments
Apple Announces 2026 Pride Band Watch Face and iPhone Wallpaper Article 2

iOS 26.5 Coming Soon With These New Features

Monday May 4, 2026 8:40 am PDT by
iOS 26.5 is expected to be released next week, following more than a month of beta testing. The update is relatively minor, but there are a couple of new features and changes across the operating system that we have recapped below. iOS 26.5 lays the groundwork for end-to-end encryption for RCS in the Messages app and ads in the Apple Maps app, and it will include a new Pride wallpaper and a...
Read Full Article • 45 comments

Top Rated Comments

T
t0rqx
35 months ago
Anyone still believe Apple caring about user experience more than money? These are Android cheap a.. strategies.
Score: 83 Votes (Like | Disagree)
L
leonremi
35 months ago

Who could have seen this EU-made disaster coming from a mile away? 🙋‍♂️ 🙋‍♂️ 🙋‍♂️ 🙋‍♂️

> EU mandates USB-C without specifying USB 3.0 minimum spec
> Apple ships billions of USB 2.0 cables with the box to keep costs down
> Users throw their USB-C 2.0 cables away when they realize these cables are slow, so instead of relying in AirDrop, they upgrade to an Anker USB3.0 cable
> Apple switches to portless phone several years later
> Users throw their USB3.0 cables away because portless iPhone is out and most of their other accessories are USB 4.1/5.0 with even better XYZ features

Meanwhile lightning hasn't changed one bit since ten years ago, did one thing really well: charge your iPhone, and there are billions of good functioning cables out there that didn't need to be thrown away before the portless iPhone.

Tell me again how this is a great idea for the environment.

As I predicted, big brain 5-head EU has absolutely no clue what they're doing. Thank them for the awfully annoying cookie popup on every single website too.
How is Apple being cheap as f*** the fault of the EU?
Score: 58 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
contacos
35 months ago

Who could have seen this EU-made disaster coming from a mile away? 🙋‍♂️ 🙋‍♂️ 🙋‍♂️ 🙋‍♂️

> EU mandates USB-C without specifying USB 3.0 minimum spec
> Apple ships USB 2.0 cables with the box to keep costs down
> Users throw their USB-C 2.0 cables away when they realize these cables are slow and upgrade to an Anker USB3.0 cable

Tell me again how this is a great idea for the environment.

As I predicted, EU has absolutely no ******* idea what they're doing. Thank them for the cookie popups too.
What does the EU rule have to do with speed limitations imposed by penny pinching Apple, who clearly does no longer care about offering the best user experience? The ruling is simply about electronic waste (every device using the same cable) for charging.
Score: 55 Votes (Like | Disagree)
S
syklee26
35 months ago
I am not getting non-pro iPhone so it won’t affect me, but this is just so freakin stupid. There is no justifiable reason to do this, and it’s not like people will get non-pro iPhone just because of fast usb speed.

If Apple cannot design phones without crippling performance when used under full speed usb-c, especially at that price, Apple should not be selling that phone. This is just ridiculous behavior from Tim and his posse who are doing this just to just egg EU.
Score: 53 Votes (Like | Disagree)
d5aqoëp Avatar
d5aqoëp
35 months ago
Disgusting if true. USB 3 (5Gbps) standard was released in 2008. We should stop calling iPhones as cutting edge devices and youtube fairies need to call out Apple on this.
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JohnRckr Avatar
JohnRckr
35 months ago
2.0 in 2023, truly innovative and worth premium price.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments