iPhone 15 rumors: USB-C is all but confirmed
iPhone 15 rumors: USB-C is all but confirmed
From renders to real-world photos, it looks incredibly likely the iPhone 15 will finally ditch Lightning for USB-C.
It had to come to this eventually. The EU is forcing their hand, consumers have moved on from the slow charging and data speeds of Lightning, and we’ve surpassed Lightning’s initial goal of being the company’s charging port for the next decade. Apple has to switch to USB-C on the iPhone, and it looks like it’s going to happen this year.
Over the past week and change, renders of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro have surfaced thanks to my good buddy Ian Zelbo at 9to5Mac. These renders, based on CAD files, depict a pair of phones that look similar to the iPhone 14 series but with slight curves around their edges and thinner bezels around the display. But the most notable difference is on the bottom, where there’s a USB-C port instead of Lightning.
Unknownz21 on Twitter shared leaked photos of the iPhone 15 which also show off the USB-C port. These images seem pretty sketchy to me, but there’s clearly no lack of evidence that Apple’s likely ditching Lightning this year.
This USB-C port will mark the third time Apple has changed the charging port on the iPhone, succeeding the shift to Lightning once 30-pin connectors went out of style with the iPhone 5 in 2012. The shift will also ignite a challenge for the iPhone accessory market: immediately start adapting to the biggest IO change Apple’s introduced in 10 years.
Of course, in this timeframe, consumers have widely adopted USB-C. Every major Android phone has it, every modern laptop (including each MacBook) has at least one such port, and everything from USB-C cables to wall adapters have become staples in millions of consumer’s homes. It’s likely this is the reason Apple waited so long to add the port to the iPhone: infrastructure, public awareness, and third-party accessories are vital to a successful IO shift, and Apple can’t afford to have any major missteps with the iPhone.
Granted, while the port will technically be the shape of USB-C, there’s been rumors that Apple will require cables to go through its Made for iPhone certification program to be fully compatible with the iPhone 15 line. This could mean that to charge your iPhone at the fastest speed possible, you’ll need a special cable with the “MFi” stamp of approval. Obviously, support for standard USB-C cables won’t be blocked, but you’ll have to buy cables that Apple has approved to get the full experience.
In other words, Apple still wants to profit off as many chargers for the iPhone as possible, and forcing fast-charging cables to be Made for iPhone certified is an excellent way to do that.
The news doesn’t stop at the USB-C port. The renders shared by 9to5Mac suggest the iPhone 15 Pro will come with capacitive power and volume buttons instead of physical ones, likely to increase durability and water resistance. The glass on the front curves slightly on the sides to make the edges feel seamless, and the camera bump on the back is absolutely huge. I have no idea what’s causing Apple to make it even thicker than the iPhone 14 Pro’s, but here’s to hoping it translates to better photos.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 15’s biggest design change beyond the USB-C port is at the top of the display, where the notch is being replaced with the Dynamic Island. Apple’s pill-shaped cutout, which debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro, is already being brought to cheaper iPhones, something I’m not sure many people were expecting. The cutout will live at the top of a slightly larger 6.2-inch display on the regular iPhone 15, according to 9to5, and the glass on the sides should be similarly curved like on the 15 Pro. Oh, and the buttons should be real and not capacitive.
These are pretty significant leaks, especially since we still have over six months to go before Apple will likely announce the iPhone 15. A lot can change between now and then, so I’ll keep you up to date if there are any major developments.
But if there’s one thing I expect to remain consistent with these leaks, it’s the USB-C port. It’s about time that Apple makes the change, and since these leaks are from credible sources, I think it’s safe to assume we’ll all be throwing away our Lightning cables this fall (y’know, assuming we all upgrade).