I don't personally care, I seldom transfer using a cable and I wouldn't buy an Air.
But it seems like a lot of y'all are upset about it on principle alone, instead of actually having some use case where the speed difference would actually matter.
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iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Limited to USB 2
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But it seems like a lot of y'all are upset about it on principle alone, instead of actually having some use case where the speed difference would actually matter.
Some things are just "not great" and should be called out as such.
This is one of those things.
If we were buying a USB port by itself for daily need, you would have a point. As it stands, the phone is a package deal and for some, the USB capability of the Air isn't a problem.
Were you going to buy the Air before you found out about USB 2, or are you just nitpicking at Apple over something you were never going to own in the first place?
Edited to add: We saw the same thing on the forum when the 13 mini came out and the haters came out in force and complained over and over about a phone they would never buy and refused to understand why some other people might be happy using a different iPhone.
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What a classic Timmy move. It’s always the tiny, petty corners cut that drag down the whole package.
I know the usual “who even uses USB” crowd will show up. I do. Try syncing offline audiobooks at 2003-era speeds and tell me that’s fine.
It’s not just about speed either. It’s Apple deliberately hobbling a £999 phone to save pennies. That’s the kind of cost-cutting genius Timmy lives for.
I know the usual “who even uses USB” crowd will show up. I do. Try syncing offline audiobooks at 2003-era speeds and tell me that’s fine.
It’s not just about speed either. It’s Apple deliberately hobbling a £999 phone to save pennies. That’s the kind of cost-cutting genius Timmy lives for.
What a total bummer as someone who films 10gb of 4K video on my iPhone for work every day but only ever use the main camera sensor. This was very much interesting me if reviews of the battery life and thermals were good.
I have synced hundred of audio books that way. And while it wasn't near instantaneous, it also wasn't a big deal for me to wait extra seconds or even a few minutes extra while I was doing something else.
Apple is in the business to make as much money as possible for the shareholders, which I am one, and I don't have a problem with this move. I don't see this as a hill I need to die on.
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I don't understand why people are so quick to make excuses for corporations. Defending a corporation that is cutting corners just to save a few pennies. Who wants to spend close to a thousand dollars on a new phone that's just "fine" and not an issue? USB ****ing 2.0 has been around since the year 2000. It's been 25 years. People should expect more from the products they buy.
The iPhone comparison tool on Apple’s online store reveals how my 15 Pro from 2 years ago is still specked higher than iPhone Air. I envision the Air to become the new base model next year. It’s obvious that the thinness comes with tradeoffs.
The only time I connect my phone to my Mac is to either backup with iMazing or do transfers using iMazing. As such, the USB 2 is really a non-issue for me.
If it is an issue for someone who actually does large transfers throughout the day where seconds and minutes equate to real business money, I can understand said people going with the Pro models.
We are not making excuses for coporations, this is how the world works. Apple is aiming to hit a % Margin to please their stakeholders.
So the choice is either, put A19 PRO with USB 3.0 everywhere and keep prices of all the phones higher or streamline their operations based on the target market.
You cannot have your cake and eat it too. This choice made by Apple is best for 99% of the consumers that buy the iPhone.
It’s not an issue. Large file transfer via cable is a Pro niche feature. It’s totally appropriate to that be limited to iPhone pro and not have to force everybody else to buy that feature.
The new iPhone Air is limited to USB 2 transfer speeds and it does not support faster USB 3 transfer speeds like the iPhone 17 Pro models. Apple also didn't update the USB port that it's using for the iPhone 17, so USB 3 continues to be a Pro-only feature.
With USB 2 support, the iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 support transfer speeds of up to 480Mb/s. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max support transfer speeds of up to 10Gb/s, like the iPhone 16 Pro models.
480Mb/s is the same transfer speed that Lightning offered, so the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 models are still limited to the speeds of the now-outdated Lightning technology.
Apple did not make any changes to USB-C transfer speeds this year, and it is a bit of a disappointment to see the $999 iPhone Air limited to USB 2.
Article Link: iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Limited to USB 2
If you are referring to the 17Air that is not the flagship of the new iPhone line. The flagship is the Pro Max. The most top featured model, top of the line in specs, and most expensive is always considered a companies flagship.
Just because the Air has a different design than the rest of the lineup doesn't make it the flagship.
I usually let my phone charge while this happens. Feels like a win?
Have you ever had a time where you NEEDED an audiobook to transfer instantaneously?
What a waste of time. If they're going to make a gimped phone, at least make it a Mini that has a different form factor.
The few times I needed it to be faster was because I forgot to take care of it sooner so I would be ready.
Buy low tier phones get low tier connectivity. And who connects their phone with cable these days? Wifi 7 is plenty fast.
Do you know how much more time that took? Would you be willing to pay more for the phone for it to be faster?
I wouldn't be willing to pay more for the phone just for USB 3 when I know using it wouldn't really make a noticeable difference in my life.
On the other hand, I will say that the orange color of the pro model is a color I have been wanting for years and expressed such on here many times. I was very tempted to get the phone for that but, then I realized, I am not currently using my 16PM with all its features as it is.
I do like that orange color!
I also have a 16PM and will not be upgrading for at least another year.
Definitely will not be getting a PM again, either.
But yeah...that orange is rad.
This is so odd to me.
It seemed like a perfect opportunity to incorporate more recent USB specs. Apple has always been one of the pioneers in new wired connectivity tech.
Yet it’s almost like they reluctantly included the USB port. I’m wondering if the original designs for the air and base iPhone 17 were portless, but some kind of government regulations in the EU stated they must have a physical charging port.
It seemed like a perfect opportunity to incorporate more recent USB specs. Apple has always been one of the pioneers in new wired connectivity tech.
Yet it’s almost like they reluctantly included the USB port. I’m wondering if the original designs for the air and base iPhone 17 were portless, but some kind of government regulations in the EU stated they must have a physical charging port.
It's definitely a USB 3 capable cable and port so I'm not sure why that would be the case.
What a shame. The original iPod came with Firewire which was similar speed as usb2. This is just some cost cutting method. What a shame in 2025.