iPhone 15 to finally get USB-C but there's a huge catch

Apple iPhone fans are waiting with bated breath for the arrival of the highly-anticipated iPhone 15 series. In the meantime, the renowned tipsters and leakers are sparing no effort to divulge some key details about the American tech giant's upcoming flagship smartphones.

Now, the iPhone 15 series will reportedly bring several upgrades over the existing iPhone 14 lineup. For instance, reliable tipster Ice Universe believes the iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature thinner bezels than the Xiaomi 13 and the Samsung Galaxy S23.

Moreover, leaked benchmark scores imply the iPhone 15 Pro will deliver more powerful performance than the latest flagship Android phones. However, these are mere speculations and should be taken with a grain of salt. Past leaks also imply Apple will ditch the Lightning port in favour of a more commonly used USB-C port.

iPhone 15 to have USB-C port, but with restrictions

However, it looks like Apple's long-rumoured switch USB-C connectivity will come with a huge catch. According to a report by Medium, citing well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the company will limit charging speeds for iPhone 15 owners who do not switch to Apple-certified chargers and cables.

Kuo claims iPhone 15 users who utilise Apple's MFi (Made for iPhone) licensed chargers and cables will be able to achieve their handset's fastest charging speeds. In other words, iPhone 15 users with Apple's USB-C charging brick will not be able to enjoy fast charging speeds until they get the right cable.

To make things worse, Kuo predicts only the iPhone 15 Pro series will support USB 3.2's 20Gbps data transfer speeds. Nevertheless, the entire iPhone 15 lineup will have USB-C ports. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, on the other hand, will get USB 2.0, which produces 480 Mbps data transfer speeds like the entry-level iPad 10 and the Lightning port.

Interestingly, Apple did not set any USB-C limitations on Macs and iPads, although both devices have had the port for quite some time now. So, the burning question is why the Cupertino-based tech giant wants to impose the restriction now.

Safety of iPhone users

Apple introduced the MFi program in a bid to guarantee the safety of its customers by ensuring their accessories are genuine. The Made for iPhone mark verifies that consumers aren't getting their hands on counterfeit products. Notably, the MFi stamp ensures that the product they are buying is compatible with their Apple device.

Moreover, MFi Program involves putting Apple accessories through a series of stringent quality control checks to make sure they are safe to use. So, even if you buy an MFi charger that's not made by Apple, you can be sure it won't combust, according to a report by Tom's Guide. Other chargers available both online and in offline store stores do not have these safeguards.

So, the tech behemoth will probably argue that using MFi-licensed USB-C cables and chargers is safer for its customers. Also, regardless of the port on their iPhones, customers will know that their Apple-approved chargers are safe. There were several counterfeit cables and chargers available in the market that caught fire not long ago.

This led to Amazon banning the sale of USB-C cables that did not comply with the USB-Implementers Forum standards. The company launched a MacBook with USB-C back in 2015 and unveiled a USB-C iPad in 2018. It is unclear why Apple waited until the impending arrival of the USB-C iPhone 15 to implement a strict USB-C certification system.

It is worth mentioning here that Apple does not provide MFi licenses to devices for free. Accessories makers have to pay the company $99 to sign up for the MFi program. Aside from this, they have to pay royalties. So, it looks like switching to USB-C could pose a major revenue problem for the company. This also could be the reason Apple is planning to enforce a strict USB-C certification system now.