Although USB-C ports are pretty much confirmed for the 2023 iPhones to shift to USB-C ports for years and ditch the outdated Lightning connector. While that hasn't happened yet, the European Union has made it compulsory for all smartphones sold in the region to feature a USB-C port, forcing Apple to comply with the mandate in 2023.
Apple has switched to USB-C for its iPads, but here too, all ports are not equal. Currently, the USB 2.0 Type-C port on the iPad 10 can handle one external display with up to 4K resolution at 30Hz. The USB 3/Thunderbolt 4 port on the iPad Pro 2022 s one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz. In addition, the more expensive iPad Pro 2022 also offers faster data transfer speeds.
In a tweet, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that "only two high-end models (15 Pro & 15 Pro Max) will the wired high-speed transfer." This means that despite all the iPhones switching to USB-C, only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will at least USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3 standards. The other two models in the lineup, i.e., iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, will only feature USB 2.0, which provides the same data transfer speeds as the Lightning port. Kuo's prediction is in line with a previous report that suggested that only the iPhone 15 Pro models will get the faster Thunderbolt 4 standard. To put that in perspective, Thunderbolt 3 can transfer data as fast as 40Gbps, and USB 3.2 at up to 20Gbps. In contrast, USB 2.0 s a maximum transfer speed of 480Mbps.
iPhone 15 Pro Models To Get A Speed Boost
The USB 3.2 standard on the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max should also high-resolution video output. Therefore, those who purchase either of the iPhone 15 Pro models in 2023 will not only be able to transfer large files such as videos shot in 4K or ProRes format in a shorter time, but they will also be able to provide output to a high-res display. Shipping the regular iPhones with USB 2.0 and the Pro iPhone 15 models with a better USB standard seems like another way to differentiate between the iPhone 15 models. In 2022, only the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max have the new A16 Bionic chip and the Dynamic Island, with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus retaining the A15 Bionic chipset and wide notch of the iPhone 13 series.
Apple switching to USB-C on all iPhones would mean that s won't have to carry two separate cables to charge their devices, which is currently the case for anyone who owns a relatively new iPad or Mac and an iPhone. It's also a good move to reduce e-waste, given that many s already have a USB-C cable and charger lying around. However, it looks like the real benefits of USB-C, including high data transfer speeds, are being reserved only for the Pro models of the iPhone 15 lineup.
Source: Ming-Chi Kuo/Twitter