iPhone 16/Plus Is there a real (i.e. hardware-related) reason why the base iPhone 16 doesn't support USB 3?

[prime17569]

I'm aware that the base iPhone 15 didn't support USB 3 due to the A16 chip originally being designed for Lightning, which is a USB 2.0 interface (iPad Pro notwithstanding) and therefore not having a USB 3 controller on silicon.

However, I am rather confused why the regular iPhone 16 doesn't support USB 3, especially considering that the A18 Pro does have a USB 3 controller which is exposed in the Pro models. I see some potential explanations:

1. The USB 3 controller in the regular/binned A18 is fused off during manufacturing, leaving only USB 2
2. All the hardware to support USB 3 is there, but the additional wires between the SoC and port required for USB 3 speeds are not connected (unlikely because DisplayPort Alt Mode wouldn't work if this were the case)
3. USB 3 requires a separate retimer chip near the port (like Thunderbolt does) that is not included in the regular models, meaning that USB 3 speeds are not possible
4. This is purely a software limitation

3 and 4 are the most interesting possibilities, because it would mean that one could modify a regular iPhone (either by soldering in a retimer chip as in 3 or jailbreaking it as in 4) to support USB 3 speeds.

I'd appreciate it if anyone experienced in USB-C hardware design could chime in on what is the most likely reason!

 

[now i see it]

It’s simple. It’s a marketing decision to make the pro phones more desirable

 

[StumpyBloke]

The reason: Corporate Greed

 

[prime17569]

It’s simple. It’s a marketing decision to make the pro phones more desirable

That may be true. My question, though, concerns how this is implemented. if it's simply done through not including a retimer chip or through a software limit, it may be possible to bypass it and enable faster USB 3 speeds.

 

[haruhiko]

You know the answer already.