Apple Reportedly Planning to Limit iPhone 15's USB-C Port in the Same Way as Lightning

[dumastudetto]

Apple will always find ways to make our devices safer to use and enjoy.
Technologies like this help prevent nefarious accessories from destroying your technology and/or stealing your data.

 

[carrrrrlos]

I’m so getting over Apple and their model of hamstringing products to create perceived value for other models.

 

[AirunJae]

For a rumor, this doesn't seem particularly likely. While MFi did bring in money, I believe the primary reason Apple has it is for control/consistency over the ecosystem to deliver a better user experience. Given the proliferation of the USB-C standard, do we think having "iPhone-only" USB-C cables, unidentifiable from every other USB-C cable, would provide a good user experience? Definitely not. Now I suppose the USB 2.0 speeds are possible/likely for the standard iPhone, as I suspect the Average consumer for it is unlikely to use/care about this. Still kind of awkward that they're not all on the same spec, but I can see the argument for why Apple wouldn't include the higher data throughput standard on the non-Pro models.

 

[ilikewhey]

I wish Apple would just develop the portless iPhone. I use wireless CarPlay via a dongle from Amazon and only charge wirelessly. Going portless would push the auto industry as well as third party designers to push their product designs. We are ready for the next iteration and can stop hanging back in the time of cords.

i'm not a fan of wireless charging, it heats up my phone like crazy and i have watched my iphone battery capacity dropped from 99% to 93% in 2 months.

 

[rp100]

I’ve personally experienced some ugly results of mixing & matching USB-C chargers and cables. A ”dumb” USB-C device will tell a 60W wall charger to send over the full current, regardless of whether or not the device can actually handle it. The result is smoke and melting plastic.

The max wattage of “old” USB standards were relatively low (1-10W) - you could mix and match practically any cable, charger, and device without worry of things blowing up. With USB-C, an appropriately specced wall charger and cable can push 100W with plans to go as high as 240W.

An increasing amount of devices (cheap and expensive) are shipping with USB-C ports: flashlights, phones, laptops, handheld drink whiskers, etc. I’ve noticed that the ”dumb” devices (flashlight, food whisker) almost always come with a USB-A to USB-C cable - that cable is your first and only warning not to use a high-wattage charger. Charging those devices with a USB-C to USB-C cable and a 60W or 100W wall charger may not end well - depends on the manufacturer and their engineering efforts to prevent catastrophe.

While I won’t advocate for Apple trying to create additional barriers on their transition to USB-C, I 100% understand why they want an additional handshake or protocol for verifying the power coming through that cord. I would anticipate their devices imposing a strict (low) limit on wattage coming through any cable that lacks an MFI chip.

 

[thebeans]

The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro's USB-C port and accompanying charging cables will feature a Lightning-like authenticator chip, potentially limiting their functionality with Apple-unapproved accessories, a rumor shared on Weibo suggests.

The rumor declares that Apple has developed its own variant of USB-C for this year's iPhone 15 lineup and comes from a user who claims to be an integrated circuit expert with 25 years of experience working on Intel's Pentium processors.

Integrated circuit (IC) interfaces are semiconductor chips used to manage the sharing of information between devices. Since their introduction in 2012, first-party and MFi-certified Lightning ports and connectors contain a small IC that confirms the authenticity of the parts involved in the connection. Non-MFi-certified third-party charging cables, for example, do not feature this chip, often leading to "This accessory is not supported" warnings on connected Apple devices.

The authenticator chip allows Apple to encourage customers to buy genuine iPhone peripherals and receive a commission on MFi-certified accessories, but it also allows Apple to tackle counterfeit and potentially dangerous accessories.

The latest rumor seems to suggest that Apple has developed a similar custom IC for the USB-C ports on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, and presumably its charging cables. As well as the iPhone 15 lineup, the new IC is apparently destined for new MFi-certified peripherals.

It is worth noting that the USB-C interface currently used by Apple in the 10th-generation iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro, do not contain an IC chip for authentication, meaning that this would be a first for ports of this kind offered by the company.

It is unclear if this addition could have any major implications for the functionality of the new devices, but it is possible that Apple could limit features like fast charging and high-speed data transfer to Apple and MFi-certified cables.

According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the USB-C port on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will remain limited to USB 2.0 speeds – the same as Lightning. Only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models will apparently get faster charging speeds. As a result, the only major difference between Lightning and USB-C on the standard iPhone 15 models could simply be the physical shape of the connector.

The report is particularly believable since this would effectively mirror the split between the entry-level iPad and the iPad Pro. While both iPad models feature a USB-C port, the 10th-generation iPad is limited to USB 2.0 speeds of up to 480 Mbps, while the iPad Pro offers fully fledged Thunderbolt speeds up to 40 Gbps.

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Planning to Limit iPhone 15's USB-C Port in the Same Way as Lightning

I didn’t realize this was still even a thing. I have a few apple cables. One I got off Amazon. No idea if it is MiFi or not. Also a couple of generic cables from who knows where including one no-name one given for free at some event that has USB A to micro, USB C, and Lightning. I can’t imagine they are all MiFi and yet I have never seen the warnings when the cables are used. Interesting that this is still a thing.

 

[Paddle1]

I don't believe this tbh. If they were going to do this they'd have already done it for the iPad. Sounds very clickbaity.

 

[ackmondual]

Think different corporate™

 

[MilaM]

I’ve personally experienced some ugly results of mixing & matching USB-C chargers and cables. A ”dumb” USB-C device will tell a 60W wall charger to send over the full load, regardless of whether or not the device can actually handle the load. The result is smoke and melting plastic.

Not an electrical engenieer, but I'm pretty sure that is not how electricity works. Having a more powerful charger is never a problem. The device 'decides' how much current to pull.

One issue that can occur is if you have cables that pretend to be able to carry a high current, but acutally can't. In this case the cable or plugs can get hot or even melt under extreme conditions.

 

[HiVolt]

I can't see the EU liking this approach if true

If true, this is probably a middle finger to the EU.

Sure, it'll charge on any USB-C cable at like 5 watts, because of safety. But if you want full speed charging, pony up for genuine or MFI cables.

The EU didn't specify any minimum charging rates.

 

[rp100]

Not an electrical engenieer, but I'm pretty sure that is not how electricity works. Having a more powerful charger is never a problem. The device 'decides' how much current to pull.

One issue that can occur is if you have cables that pretend to be able to carry a high current, but acutally can't. In this case the cable or plugs can get hot or even melt in extreme conditions.

The wall chargers and cables are not necessarily doing anything wrong - the problem is the device is anticipating 2-5W and receiving (and/or errantly requesting) 60W.

 

[Rafterman]

Apple will always find ways to make our devices safer to use and enjoy.
Technologies like this help prevent nefarious accessories from destroying your technology and/or stealing your data.

The Cult is as strong as ever.

 

[Lakersfan74]

I’m buying a Pro Max anyway so not worried about lower transfer speeds. I still transfer music from my pc to my MacBook using a flash drive then I connect my phone to the laptop to sync.
Is there a way to transfer music from my laptop to my phone without a wire I haven’t really thought about it? I don’t have a usb-a to usb-c cable either which I would need for my car stereo for a wired connection.

 

[seek3r]

The wall chargers and cables are not necessarily doing anything wrong - the problem is the device is anticipating 2-5W and receiving (and/or errantly requesting) 60W.

Chargers usually support lower profiles and ramp up, if a device is requesting a higher wattage than it can use that’s the device’s fault and not one Apple is likely to introduce into their products, so how would MFI help here?

 

[mrat93]

Will they still be able to charge a fee for MFi certification? I assume so. Which means all of the people who whined that Apple wouldn't abandon lightning because of the MFi fees were as predicted...wrong, wrong, wrong.

I mean, not really? It was easy for them to justify “it’s our connector, so you need to use our approved cables.”

It’s almost unfathomable that they would make a proprietary version of a standard cable which they’ve been using for 8 years without issues, but here we are.

It would honestly be an insane business move and i don’t believe it, unless it’s for some “special” feature we’re not yet aware of. I think that existing USB-C cables will work just fine for charging, at least.

 

[MilaM]

The wall chargers and cables are not necessarily doing anything wrong - the problem is the device is anticipating 2-5W and receiving (and/or errantly requesting) 60W.

I understand. But I actually think this is a misconception. A device will ever only use a certain amount of current, no matter how much the source is capable of delivering. Only if there is a short in the divce, it will pull more current than it can handle. But then it's defective or just plain broken.

 

[Paddle1]

Standard iPhone 15 will stick with USB 2.0 speeds because that's what the A16 Bionic supports.

I'm not sure that has to be the case? The A15 iPad mini does have faster speeds with its USB-C port.

 

[boyarka]

Rumor until confirmed, but this brings back some memories of other Apple shenanigans which are basically consumer-alienating and discriminatory:
I used both Apple and other - amongst those Samsung phones - for a long time. I can remember back in roughly 2009 I eas travelling and took an Apple iPad charger and swapped the USB-A / Lightening cable with USB-A / USB-Micro cable to charge my Samsung phone.
Then I arrive at my temporary residence - plug the charger into the socket and connect the by now almost drained phone.
And guess what happens? Phone gives the charging indicator/sound for a second... then stops charging and does not indicate a connection. Then around 30 seconds of silence - again "charging" for half a second - then nothing.
I am not too tech-savvy but I assume the a**holes at Apple deliberately designed the charger's bus to poll the connected device and/or lightening chip (if any) if or not an Apple device is connected - or not. To make that possible the 0V and +5V power terninals are briefly powered on as well because it's not a given the bus will yield a reply if no +5V power is sent downstream.
So basically a completely standard USB charger was deliberately designed not to deliver power to a Sansung phone. And I had/still have a box or chargers/cables from a dozen or more brand-specific models and never in my entire life has this happen. Only exception some few newer USB-C PD chargers that faim to poll older connected devices because there the voltage supplies is not given and if no reply is received no charge is given. This was however a completely vanilla 5V-only charger and 5V-only phone.

Apple is some times a hallmark, a golden standard of being rear end openings.

 

[mike090910]

Not going to happen

 

[nerdAFK]

F*** Apple!

(Someone has to say it)

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

Come on people, did anyone honestly believe Apple would not do something like this? It is Apple's way of making sure that people still purchase a dedicated Apple cable to unlock the higher usb speeds. Use a commonly available usb-c cable and get lower usb-c speeds but purchase a special Apple usb-c cable to unlock the higher speeds. as others have pointed out, I do not think the EU is going to like it or even accept it.

Agree 100%.

The main thing to consider here is that the new E.U. USB-C regulations only apply to implementing USB-C ports. There's nothing(!) in the E.U. regulations stating anything about specific requirements for data transfer speeds.

Apple are infamous for taking high-end specs/features and limiting them to the most expensive products or configurations in a given product lineup. Or taking some kind of feature or accessory and making it entirely or partly proprietary.

The real kicker for Apple would be if the E.U. lets them control charging speeds for their new USB-C port: 5W slow charging for non-MFi cables and 5W+ fast charging reserved for MFi USB-C cables.

 

[wossogststepp]

I don't care about some warning here and there, but sticking with USB 2.0 speeds is a crime.

Who is transferring any significant amount of data via lightning today?

If true, Apple have found a loop hole in the EU law, which is not surprising, considering the ripe incompetence which is rife within the EU 🤣

The EU law is all about charging. And most data transfer to and from iPhones is wireless anyway. Not sure when I last transferred any data from my iPhone to my Mac using a cable. Must have been iPhone 4s.

 

[russell_314]

Wow, eight pages of comments about a rumor that Apple is planning on making a notification about counterfeit cables..

MacRumors sure knows how to fire up the Apple dislikers… I don’t think the other word is allowed 😂😂

 

[seek3r]

I'm not sure that has to be the case? The A15 iPad mini does have faster speeds with its USB-C port.

For that matter so does the A14 Bionic iPad Air 4

 

[seek3r]

Rumor until confirmed, but this brings back some memories of other Apple shenanigans which are basically consumer-alienating and discriminatory:
I used both Apple and other - amongst those Samsung phones - for a long time. I can remember back in roughly 2009 I eas travelling and took an Apple iPad charger and swapped the USB-A / Lightening cable with USB-A / USB-Micro cable to charge my Samsung phone.
Then I arrive at my temporary residence - plug the charger into the socket and connect the by now almost drained phone.
And guess what happens? Phone gives the charging indicator/sound for a second... then stops charging and does not indicate a connection. Then around 30 seconds of silence - again "charging" for half a second - then nothing.
I am not too tech-savvy but I assume the a**holes at Apple deliberately designed the charger's bus to poll the connected device and/or lightening chip (if any) if or not an Apple device is connected - or not. To make that possible the 0V and +5V power terninals are briefly powered on as well because it's not a given the bus will yield a reply if no +5V power is sent downstream.
So basically a completely standard USB charger was deliberately designed not to deliver power to a Sansung phone. And I had/still have a box or chargers/cables from a dozen or more brand-specific models and never in my entire life has this happen. Only exception some few newer USB-C PD chargers that faim to poll older connected devices because there the voltage supplies is not given and if no reply is received no charge is given. This was however a completely vanilla 5V-only charger and 5V-only phone.

Apple is some times a hallmark, a golden standard of being rear end openings.

That issue was likely a profile issue. Chargers dont support every combo of volts/amps, sometimes there’s a mismatch. I’ve used apple’s bricks to charge tons of non-Apple devices, they arent deliberately locking them, but it’s possible your samsung phone was attempting to use profiles the brick didn't support. I’ve into that a few times, both with apple and non-apple gear