All iPhone 15 Models Support DisplayPort for Up to 4K HDR Video Output to External Display

[MacRumors]

The new iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max all support DisplayPort for up to 4K HDR video mirroring and video output to an external display or TV, according to Apple's tech specs for the devices.

DisplayPort support is built into the USB-C port on all iPhone 15 models, meaning that the devices can output video at up to 4K/60Hz natively to a DisplayPort-equipped external display or TV with a supported USB-C to DisplayPort cable. Alternatively, you can use Apple's $69 USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter to mirror video from any iPhone 15 to an HDMI-equipped TV or display at up to 4K/60Hz, but HDR is not supported this way.

On previous iPhones with a Lightning port, video mirroring is limited to 1080p with Apple's Lightning-to-HDMI or Lightning-to-VGA adapters.

Unfortunately for fans of the Stage Manager feature on select iPad models, the iPhone does not yet offer an extended display mode.

Article Link: All iPhone 15 Models Support DisplayPort for Up to 4K HDR Video Output to External Display

 

[Born Again]

That is awesome news. My iPad Pro 2018 doesn’t support display port

 

[HiVolt]

will be interesting to see how it's implemented. Is it just purely mirroring? It would be nice if you could select video to play on the tv, via still being able to use the phone for other things.

 

[Channan]

The capability is here now for Stage Manager on the iPhone. It would be awesome to plug an iPhone into a monitor and connect a mouse and keyboard to use it like an iOS desktop. Apple would probably lose a lot of iPad and Mac sales which is why I’m sure we don’t have this now, but hopefully we get it in the near future.

 

[Sasparilla]

This is very cool, even the base 15's eh? Nice.

 

[AppleTO]

So if you plugged an iPhone 15 (with only USB 2.0) into one of those 10-in-1 USB-C docks, would everything work (but slowly), and would the phone charge?

Edit: Not that there would be much of a point. I assume you would just end up with a giant mirrored iPhone on a connected display.

 

[performa_6400]

Helloooo USB-C!

 

[Zaydax333]

That awkward moment when the A16 Bionic has a displayport controller connected to it that can do 8.64Gbps to do 4k 30Hz HDR but only a 480Mbps USB 2 controller.

 

[corinthos]

can't innovate my arse!

 

[lazyrighteye]

Approved.
I love this calm before the storm time between keynote and Friday’s pre-order opening. Where features slowly trickle out, things begin to take greater shape, make a little more sense. lrefect example of the sum being greater than its parts unfolding.

 

[kkee]

This is big. I wonder why they didn't even make a fuss about this.

 

[pesos]

That awkward moment when the A16 Bionic has a displayport controller connected to it that can do 8.64Gbps to do 4k 30Hz HDR but only a 480Mbps USB 2 controller.

Yeah exactly… something doesn’t click here

 

[dpfenninger]

For the base 15 & 15 Plus, how can a 4K/60 display be supported on a USB-C port that is limited to USB 2 speeds?

 

[mectojic]

Ok, serious question: is it becoming possible to use the iPhone Pro as a sort of desktop computer?

Think about it: A17 Pro chip, 8GB Ram, up to 1TB storage, USB 3 speeds... hook it up to a 4k display, with a USB-C hub you could also use a wired keyboard + mouse while charging the device.

I've been dreaming of the 1-device-for-everything solution for a while. I think specs-wise, we're almost there. The only thing we'd still need would be support for custom display resolutions, and better mouse support.

 

[Sneakz]

This is some ********. How in the world can 4K60 be output but we get USB 2.0 speeds?

 

[AppleTO]

For the base 15 & 15 Plus, how can a 4K/60 display be supported on a USB-C port that is limited to USB 2 speeds?

The USB-C controller must be hooked up directly to the GPU which enables DisplayPort alternate mode. But the controller itself can only process USB 2.0 speeds of data. Kinda dumb, but not the first time I’ve seen this.

 

[IG88]

For the base 15 & 15 Plus, how can a 4K/60 display be supported on a USB-C port that is limited to USB 2 speeds?

Because DisplayPort is not USB. DisplayPort is DisplayPort.

USB Type-C is the connector. USB 2 is the protocol.

DisplayPort leverages the Alternate Mode Functional Extension of the USB Type-C interface, and shares similar electrical characteristics with USB 3.1, allowing use of common system elements.

• 4K @60Hz 24-bit color (without compression) with simultaneous USB 3.1
• 5K (5120 x 2880) display support without compression with simultaneous USB 2.0

Granted, it is still a dick move by Apple. The spec clearly supports simultaneous USB 3.1 with DP 4K@60. Apple is just deliberately deprecating down to USB 2.0 bc they want you to buy the Pro.

 

[fwmireault]

Ok, serious question: is it becoming possible to use the iPhone Pro as a sort of desktop computer?

Think about it: A17 Pro chip, 8GB Ram, up to 1TB storage, USB 3 speeds... hook it up to a 4k display, with a USB-C hub you could also use a wired keyboard + mouse while charging the device.

I've been dreaming of the 1-device-for-everything solution for a while. I think specs-wise, we're almost there. The only thing we'd still need would be support for custom display resolutions, and better mouse support.

As long as there is no proper external display and multitasking support on iOS, the experience will be quite poor and limited. But the hardware definitely could provide a iPad-like experience with a few software tweaks. I hope Apple will pursue this direction

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Because DisplayPort is not USB. DisplayPort is DisplayPort.

USB Type-C is the connector. USB 2 is the protocol.

Granted, it is still a dick move by Apple. The spec clearly supports simultaneous USB 3.1 with DP 4K@60. Apple is just deliberately deprecating down to USB 2.0 bc they want you to buy the Pro.

As the author of the MacRumors story, I want to make sure I'm not wrong here. I'm pretty sure you are correct. Based on my understanding, the USB-C port on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus supports USB 2.0 for data transfer, but also DisplayPort Alt Mode for video output, which has much higher bandwidth.

 

[IG88]

Ok, serious question: is it becoming possible to use the iPhone Pro as a sort of desktop computer?

No. Because then you wouldn't need an iPad / MacBook.

Apple are not going to let the iPhone cannibalize those sales.

 

[AppleTO]

As long as there is no proper external display and multitasking support on iOS, the experience will be quite poor and limited. But the hardware definitely could provide a iPad-like experience with a few software tweaks. I hope Apple will pursue this direction

Given the amount of time Apple went on about the new GPU in the keynote yesterday, I’m sure it would be to handle an extended display and Stage Manager…

 

[emoore33]

The A16 chip only supported USB 2 speeds with lightning. Why would they redesign the A16 to support a higher speed? Next years the regular iPhone 16 will support USB 3 speed since it will use the A17 chip.

 

[IG88]

As the author of the MacRumors story, I want to make sure I'm not wrong here. I'm pretty sure you are correct. Based on my understanding, the USB-C port on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus supports USB 2.0 for data transfer, but also DisplayPort Alt Mode for video output, which has much higher bandwidth.

Yes that is correct.

Edit: I would phrase its as the A16 board only has a USB 2.0 controller.

 

[IG88]

The A16 chip only supported USB 2 speeds with lightning. Why would they redesign the A16 to support a higher speed? Next years the regular iPhone 16 will support USB 3 speed since it will use the A17 chip.

Did lightning ever pass higher than USB 2.0 speeds in any Apple product?

 

[fwmireault]

Did lightning ever achieve higher than USB 2.0 speeds?

Yes, the lightning port on the first generations of iPad Pro was 3.0