December 7, 2023

The iPhone 15 will convey USB-C to the iPhone for the primary time, and we don’t want leaks to verify the swap from Lightning. We’ve loads of rumors, however the very best “affirmation” got here from the European Union’s new regulation that forces Apple to change to USB-C.

The corporate might need used phrases prior to now like “braveness” and “innovation” to clarify the transfer to USB-C. And Apple probably would have carried out it with out the EU’s intervention, although it might need taken a couple of extra years to get there. That’s assuming the portless iPhone that Apple might be growing takes even longer than anticipated. Many rumors have stated that Apple has been planning to desert the Lightning connector in favor of a portless iPhone.

What issues right here is that USB-C is lastly coming. And there’s no cause to panic or whine as a result of it’s very probably that you simply’re already ready for the improve. You don’t have to do something to make sure that you’ll be capable of recharge your iPhone 15 of selection through USB-C as soon as the brand new fashions get right here.

iPhone 15 comes with free USB-C cables

The final time Apple modified the port, all of us needed to get new chargers and cables. We moved from the big, cumbersome 30-pin connector to the slim, reversible, space-saving Lightning port and couldn’t have been ready. Each have been proprietary Apple cables and ports, so there was nothing else like them available on the market.

However USB-C is ubiquitous. It doesn’t matter what kind of iPhone 15 purchaser you’re, the possibilities are you received’t want to purchase a brand new charger to recharge the handset.

All iPhone 15 fashions will ship with free USB-C to USB-C cables. The iPhone 15 cables are woven and color-matched, assuming latest stories are correct. You’ll solely want to purchase new Thunderbolt USB-C cables in order for you quick information switch speeds out of your iPhone 15 mannequin of selection.

Now that the charging cable drawback is out of the way in which let’s have a look at the charger scenario.

If you happen to improve from Android…

I’ll begin with the best kind of swap. If in case you have an Android telephone made prior to now few years, you have already got no less than one USB-C cable and one charger. You’ll be good to go when you get one of many 4 new iPhone 15 fashions. You received’t have to purchase one other charger.

Google Pixel 7a Show. Picture supply: Christian de Looper for BGR

If you happen to improve from an previous Android gadget that rocks a microUSB port, you’ll have to buy a brand new charger for the iPhone 15. However that assumes you don’t already personal one of many myriad of different gadgets with USB-C ports, resembling tablets, eBook readers, and so forth.

After all, in case you plan on passing your previous Android handset to another person within the household who doesn’t personal equipment, you would possibly want a further USB-C charger.

Upgrading from previous iPhones can be simply as straightforward

It won’t have made sense then, however in October 2020 when the iPhone 12 launched, Apple paired UBS-C-to-Lightning cables with all iPhone fashions it bought, together with older fashions. Similar to that, the 2018 iPhone XR and the 2019 iPhone 11 fashions obtained USB-C cables within the field. So did the iPhone SE.

Meaning Apple principally pressured iPhone house owners again then to purchase new charging bricks for his or her iPhones. As a reminder, that’s additionally when Apple eliminated the free USB-A wall adapter from the iPhone field within the identify of “eco-friendliness.”

Apple iPhone 13 Port
Apple iPhone 13 Port Picture supply: Christian de Looper for BGR

Now, fast-forward to the iPhone 15 sequence, and tons of of thousands and thousands of iPhone house owners may improve this yr with out having to purchase a USB-C charger. The previous one will nonetheless work simply high quality.

Just like the Android situation, there’s a case the place you’ll have to get a brand new charger: in case you’re about to offer your previous gadget to a good friend or member of the family. Additionally, in case you purchased your iPhone earlier than late 2020, you would possibly nonetheless rock the previous USB-A charger. In that case, an improve is obligatory.

You’re prepared for USB-C iPhones even in case you by no means owned a smartphone

Let’s say that, for some cause, you’re about to get your first smartphone ever. You’re both very younger or perhaps very previous. Or maybe you haven’t been into smartphones to start with. Regardless of the case, you’re nonetheless prepared for USB-C iPhones.

Once more, USB-C is broadly used, and Apple is partly to thank. Do not forget that controversial USB-C-only MacBook Professional redesign from 2016? That preliminary dongle hell was the form of transfer that pressured many accent makers so as to add USB-C ports to their gadgets. Furthermore, different laptop computer and pill distributors have began including USB-C ports to their gadgets.

Connecting an iPhone 7 to the 2016 MacBook Pro's USB-C port with dongles.
Connecting an iPhone 7 to the 2016 MacBook Professional’s USB-C port with dongles. Picture supply: Reddit

Seven years later, so many digital gadgets on the market recharge over USB-C. Subsequently, many customers personal USB-C chargers with out essentially proudly owning smartphones. We’re not going again to dongle hell.

Keep in mind wi-fi charging

I’ll additionally level out that every one iPhone 15 fashions will help wi-fi charging, together with MagSafe, which could get a pace bump. That’s one other strategy to recharge your iPhone with out utilizing the USB-C port.

Then once more, most new wi-fi chargers, together with Apple’s MagSafe chargers, recharge over USB-C. However say you personal an older wi-fi charger. It’ll nonetheless work high quality with the iPhone 15, although it won’t help the quickest charging speeds.

Two extra issues

What occurs to the USB-C-to-Lighting cables you already personal? Properly, they’re not good for the iPhone 15 sequence until you get a Lighting-to-USB-C adapter. Like this $11 choice from Amazon.

The opposite factor issues wired headphones. If you happen to by some means aren’t utilizing AirPods or different wi-fi headphones, you have to a brand new adapter in your Lightning headphones. Or, you’ll want to purchase new headphones that ship audio over USB-C.

All that is to say that, come mid-September, USB-C would be the least of your worries when shopping for the iPhone 15. Most individuals received’t have to spend more money on charging equipment as a result of they have already got the whole lot they want at dwelling.