Here's How Fast USB-C Ports Are on iPads and Macs Ahead of iPhone 15

[MacRumors]

It's nearly September, meaning that new iPhones are just around the corner. All four upcoming iPhone 15 models are widely expected to be equipped with a USB-C port instead of Lightning, but there may be speed differences across the lineup.

In November 2022, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the USB-C port on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max would support at least the USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3 specifications for data transfer speeds up to 20 or 40 Gbps. Kuo said the USB-C port on the lower-end iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models would remain limited to USB 2.0 speeds of up to 480 Mbps, which is the same speed as Lightning on existing iPhones.

All current-generation iPad and Mac models already have USB-C ports with varying speeds:

Device	USB-C Specification
All current Mac models​	Thunderbolt (Up to 40 Gbps)​
iPad Pro (2021 and 2022)​	Thunderbolt (Up to 40 Gbps)​
iPad Pro (2018 and 2020)​	USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Up to 10 Gbps)​
iPad Air (2022)​	USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Up to 10 Gbps)​
iPad Air (2020)​	USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Up to 5 Gbps)​
iPad mini (2021)​	USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Up to 5 Gbps)​
iPad (2022)​	USB 2.0 (Up to 480 Mbps)​

The rumored speeds for the iPhone 15 lineup:

Device	USB-C Specification
iPhone 15 Pro Max​	USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt (Up to 20 or 40 Gbps)​
iPhone 15 Pro​	USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt (Up to 20 or 40 Gbps)​
iPhone 15 Plus​	USB 2.0 (Up to 480 Mbps)​
iPhone 15​	USB 2.0 (Up to 480 Mbps)​
iPhones with Lightning​	USB 2.0 (Up to 480 Mbps)​

Higher speeds allow for faster data transfer over a USB-C or Thunderbolt cable, such as when exporting photos from an iPhone to a Mac.

Rumors suggest that Apple will include a new braided USB-C cable with all iPhone 15 models, but the cable might remain limited to USB 2.0 speeds. This means that customers purchasing an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max would need to purchase a higher-spec cable separately to take advantage of the faster speeds that are rumored.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 15 series at an event that is rumored to be planned for Tuesday, September 12. Apple has yet to officially announce the event, but invites will likely go out in the next week or two.

Article Link: Here's How Fast USB-C Ports Are on iPads and Macs Ahead of iPhone 15

 

[tripsync]

while 99% of the rest of us will continue to use the cable as for charging only

switching to usb-c before iPhone going portless is pointless and terrible for the environment

 

[pacalis]

I have tremendous difficulty downloading batch photos and video from my family's iphones.

I guess these downloads will all freeze up sooner now?

 

[MayaUser]

i

while 99% of the rest of us will continue to use the cable as for charging only

switching to usb-c before iPhone going portless is pointless and terrible for the environment

indeed and very strange...or Apple is thinking going port-less after 4-5 years of usbC iPhones

 

[fithian]

What about MacBook Air 2023?

 

[JPack]

The port speeds are pretty reasonable. It's the big ProRes files on iPhone 15 Pro/Max that need fast transfer speeds. The majority of the mainstream users just need to charge. USB-C whatever data speed doesn't matter.

 

[3530025]

i

indeed and very strange...or Apple is thinking going port-less after 4-5 years of usbC iPhones

Going portless is against environment.
Wireless charging is very inefficient compared to the cable. And always will be.

 

[3530025]

The port speeds are pretty reasonable. It's the ProRes files on iPhone 15 Pro/Max that are big and need fast transfer speeds. The rest of the mainstream users just want to charge. USB-C whatever data speed doesn't matter.

That's true, but still 20 year old standard (superseeded by now 10 year old one) on 1000 USD device? Apple really can't do better? Quite shameful.

 

[MayaUser]

What about MacBook Air 2023?

what do you mean? the MBA has the same Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports

 

[MayaUser]

Going portless is against environment.
Wireless charging is very inefficient compared to the cable. And always will be.

how can be wireless charging very inefficient compared with decades of 5W charging?!
yes if we compare todays usbC to wireless, you are right....but wireless is the way, in the car in the furniture in everything 20 years from now

 

[centauratlas]

i

indeed and very strange...or Apple is thinking going port-less after 4-5 years of usbC iPhones

Portless is a bad idea for many reasons. Inefficiency, meaning that one is required to use wireless headphones, have the phone against your head or speaker.

Let's hope that doesn't happen.

 

[3530025]

how can be wireless charging very inefficient compared for decades of 5W charging?!
yes if we compare todays usbC to wireless, you are right....but wireless is the way, in the car in the furniture in everything 20 years from now

Physics 101
Copper wire electricity transfer is just very efficient compared to the induction wireless one.

 

[MayaUser]

That's true, but still 20 year old standard (superseeded by now 10 year old one) on 1000 USD device? Apple really can't do better? Quite shameful.

It can, and probably will use 40gbs

 

[fatTribble]

It doesn’t seem terrible to basically include a charging cable in the box. For the percentage of people who need fast data transfer they can buy the high speed cable. Just my thought.

 

[MayaUser]

Physics 101
Copper wire electricity transfer is just very efficient compared to the induction wireless one.

Im sorry, but the world that works around logic of physics 101 are gone...today people are all about convenient and not caring about the environment , only cave men doesnt see, or know this

 

[3530025]

It can, and probably will use 40gbs

Really? This exact article says the opposite. Just like all the rumors about iPhone 15 (non-pro). Where's your information sourced from?

 

[MayaUser]

Portless is a bad idea for many reasons. Inefficiency, meaning that one is required to use wireless headphones, have the phone against your head or speaker.

Let's hope that doesn't happen.

Apple is a business company first...so...unfortunately, port=less is the future...probably 5 or 10 years from now

 

[3530025]

Im sorry, but the world that works around logic of physics 101 are gone...today people are all about convenient and not caring about the environment , only cave men doesnt see, or know this

Ah sorry then. I did not know physics stopped applying in this world already.

Enough of internet for today I guess...

 

[fatTribble]

how can be wireless charging very inefficient compared with decades of 5W charging?!
yes if we compare todays usbC to wireless, you are right....but wireless is the way, in the car in the furniture in everything 20 years from now

Wireless charging requires more electricity than wired charging.

 

[MayaUser]

Really? This exact article says the opposite. Just like all the rumors about iPhone 15 (non-pro). Where's your information sourced from?

we are not talking about an 1000USD phone? aka iphone 15 pro?

 

[Ctrlos]

I’d complain but the only real need for the thunderbolt speeds is the exporting of ProRes footage from the Pro devices.

Whilst I’m sure plenty of people still do it I imagine the amount of customers bothered by slow iTunes transfer rates is quite small.

 

[3530025]

we are not talking about an 1000USD phone? aka iphone 15 pro?

iPhone 15 costs 999 EUR = 1100 USD in the Europe already. Price hike is expected meaning iPhone 15 is 1000 USD device to me.

 

[MayaUser]

Wireless charging requires more electricity than wired charging.

true, very true...but in the cars we all use wireless charging...sorry but the world is not thinking about environment, they are thinking about themselves..

 

[jz0309]

95+% of iPhone users will never use a cable to transfer data, they’d only use it for charging …

I do backup my iPhone to my Mac via cable, I do transfer my photos/videos to my Mac via airdrop, sometimes hundreds… so i potentially might benefit but it’s not important to me…

 

[MayaUser]

iPhone 15 costs 999 EUR = 1100 USD in the Europe already. Price hike is expected meaning iPhone 15 is 1000 USD device to me.

oh, i thought we are talking in general USA...not about you
For now, iphone 15 will start $799 and iphone 15 pro from 999
But we will see