Kuo: Only iPhone 15 Pro Models Will Support Higher-Speed Data Transfers With USB-C Upgrade

The iPhone 15 Pro models that are planned for next year will support higher wired transfer speeds thanks to the transition to USB-C, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

iPhone 15 to Switch From Lightning to USB C in 2023 feature
While all ‌iPhone 15‌ models are going to feature USB-C ports instead of Lightning ports, the faster transfer speeds will be limited to the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models. Standard ‌iPhone 15‌ models will continue to feature USB 2.0 speeds, the same as Lightning.


Kuo says that transfer speeds will likely "improve markedly" on the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models, with support for "at least" USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3. With the upgrade, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models will be able to transfer video files and other file types at quicker speeds, with Kuo predicting a significantly improved user experience.

USB 2.0 transfer speeds are limited to 480Mb/s, while USB 3.2 supports speeds up to 20Gb/s. Thunderbolt 3 supports data transfer speeds up to 40Gb/s, so if Kuo is correct, there will be a major difference in wired data transfer speeds between Pro and non-Pro ‌iPhone 15‌ models.

Apple is transitioning to USB-C across its product lineup, and the first USB-C iPhones are due next year. Apple is making the change in order to comply with European regulations that require electronic devices to have non-proprietary, common charging methods.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...
apple card feature2

Apple Card 3% Daily Cash Back Now Available From Two More Apple Partners

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:36 am PST by
Apple has partnered with select merchants to offer Apple Card users three percent Daily Cash back on their purchases, and two new companies were added to the partner list today. When purchasing goods and services from Booking.com and ChargePoint, Apple Card users will now get more cash back. Booking.com is a site for reserving flights, cars, cruises, and hotels, while ChargePoint sells...

Top Rated Comments

bwillwall Avatar
26 months ago
USB 3.0 isn't an expensive or premium feature. This really irritates me. It should be standard in anything with USBC today. 2.0 is ancient and there's no excuse other than they picked a cheap reason to try to make people buy a Pro. I hope this is just a rumor.
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JPack Avatar
26 months ago
USB 2.0 in 2023? Definitely feels like a Tim Cook decision.

https://www.macrumors.com/2022/11/08/apple-design-team-focused-on-costs-report/
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
siddavis Avatar
26 months ago
Remember when they only made great products?
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
colonel179 Avatar
26 months ago
It would be so petty from Apple if they limit the USB-C to 2.0 speeds.

Although it’s very unlikely. Definitely will have Thunderbolt 3 and Pros will have Thunderbolt 4/ USB4 like Macs and iPad Pro
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiVolt Avatar
26 months ago
Thats good but terrible at the same time...

They should support the fastest speeds on the Pro's, but allow at least basic USB 3.0 speeds on the standard models.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ddtmm Avatar
26 months ago
If this is what Apple is doing it's pretty lame. I can't think of any other device that uses USB-C at USB 2 speeds but Apple may land yet another courageous first.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)