New iPhone 15 leaks suggest a significant change in the Apple device’s design.
Much to no one’s surprise, recent rumors suggest the upcoming iPhone 15 is likely going to cost more than its predecessor. The performance gap between models is also set to increase with Apple’s reported switch to the USB-C port.
One of the most respected Apple analysts, Ming-Chi Kuo, has revealed Apple’s plans to switch all iPhone 15 models from Lighting to USB-C ports. The decision to abandon the Lighting port for the ubiquitous USB-C comes ahead of the EU’s new law requiring all smartphones with a physical port to use USB-C.
The physical port has been a contentious issue for the Cupertino-based company for a long time. The Lightning port, Apple’s pride and joy, was ahead of its time when it first came out. But time’s passed, and the Lightning port’s days in the sun are long over. The practicality of the standardized USB-C has won the day.
Now, Apple, defeated by the EU bureaucracy, found a way to finally make the switch, but still come out on top. That’s by reportedly making the gap larger between iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models, and the high-end iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max (possibly called Ultra in the future).
The entry-level iPhone 15 devices will likely feature a USB 2.0 port, putting them at par with Android smartphones, while the high-end iPhones will boast USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3.
“This spec upgrade means the wired transfer and video output user experience will significantly improve.” explains Kuo. “And the new trend will drive Apple ecosystem's demand for high-speed transfer chips and competitors' imitation (almost all Android phones currently only support USB 2.0), and it's also conducive to the growth of the high-speed transfer IC design industry.”
The difference in performance between the entry-level and high-end iPhone 15 devices is going to be substantial if the latest leaks are anything to go by. For comparison, USB 2.0 maxes out at 60 megabytes per second, while USB 3.2 can handle up to 2,500 megabytes per second.
It seems like that’s how Apple is going to justify the increase in price, which is also likely going to be substantial, especially if you’re in the market for an iPhone 15 Pro.
Apple probably isn’t too happy about EU laws forcing it to switch to USB-C, but the users are the ones who stand to benefit the most. As Mark Gurman of Bloomberg explains, “While Apple appears to be bitter that a government is intervening in its product road map, the move from Lightning to USB-C is actually a good thing for consumers.”
