The transition from the Lightning port to USB-C will happen with the iPhone 15 launch, and Apple is said to be testing out this change way before the iPhone 14 lineup arrived last year. According to one update, there was even a variant that featured the Lightning interface, but it appears that it will not be making its way to the production line.
Using a Lightning port would also limit data transfer speeds, and the iPhone 15 with a USB-C port would not see that limitation
Though Apple was testing various versions during the start of January last year, @URedditor states on Twitter that all designs from March 2022 featured a USB-C port, which is the interface that will likely be adopted when four iPhone 15 models launch later this year. For those that do not know, @URedditor is the same tipster that provided an initial look at the USB-C port that will be unified on Apple’s iPhone 15 family, so as far as credibility goes, his name is up there.
In the Twitter thread, one of the discussions was about the underlying technology used for the Lightning version of the iPhone 15. The tipster responds by saying ‘USB 3.0,’ which is significantly slower compared to the current data transfer standards. However, it appears that the non-Pro versions will only support USB 3.0 data transfer speeds, despite shipping with a USB-C port. It is only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max that will support Thunderbolt-level speeds, or USB 3.2 as the bare minimum.
Some details about USB-C on the iPhone 15:
It was in testing as far back as January 2022, and pretty much all designs since March 2022 have had the USB-C port instead of lightning.
There was a version with a lightning port very early on, but it was quickly scrapped.
— Unknownz21 🌈 (@URedditor) April 18, 2023
What this means is that we should expect a minimum of 20Gb/s, or 2,500MB/s data transfer speeds, and a maximum of 5,000MB/s. Of course, coming close to this bandwidth will depend on a ton of factors, so despite the more expensive models’ USB-C port potentially supporting Thunderbolt speeds, it is unlikely that we will see those results in real-world tests.
Another reason why Apple is making a transition from Lightning to USB-C is thanks to the EU’s new law, which forces technology companies to completely switch over to the new charging port by 2024. While the Cupertino firm has a whole year to bring this port to various products, it appears that Apple wants to be a little earlier than the allotted timeframe.
News Source: @URedditor
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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