iPhone 15 Pro could get USB-C and offer vastly higher data transfer speeds

Apple iPhone 14 Pro base
An iPhone 14 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

We’ve known for a while that Apple will be switching to USB-C for future iPhones, but we don’t know for sure if that change will happen in time for the iPhone 15. Now though, a reputable source has said that it will, and that this switch will also lead to higher data transfer speeds – at least for some models.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo – an analyst with a good track record for Apple information – the entire iPhone 15 line will have a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port. However, Kuo claims that only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will take advantage of the extra speed potential of USB-C.

Those two phones will reportedly support either USB-C 3.2 data transfer speeds, which can reach 20Gbps, or Thunderbolt 3 speeds, which can get as high as 40Gbps.

The standard iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus, though, will apparently be stuck at USB 2.0 speeds of just 480Mbps, which is the same as Lightning. So if Kuo is right, one of the main advantages of switching to USB-C will be reserved for the pricier Pro models.

As ever with leaks, we’d take this with a pinch of salt, but speed aside, a switch to USB-C looks likely. The EU has mandated that Apple must make the change by 2024, and Apple itself has confirmed that it intends to comply. So it’s just a question of timing, but there seems little point in Apple delaying, and Kuo is a credible source.

The varying data transfer speeds is something we’re less sure of, but it would make sense as another way to differentiate the top-end iPhones from the lower-end models, and Apple has taken a similar approach with its various iPad lines.


The Lightning port on an iPhone 12 Pro Max

The Lightning port on an iPhone 12 Pro Max (Image credit: TechRadar)

Analysis: pro-level speeds for Pro devices

Increasing the data transfer speed from 480Mbps to 20Gbps or 40Gbps might sound like overkill, and for a lot of people it will be. But these massively higher speeds would be extremely useful for some users in particular cases.

One key example is 4K video. Current iPhones are capable of shooting in 4K, but the file sizes that 4K footage produce can mean it takes a long, long time to transfer the footage from your phone to your computer or other device.

If you’re a mobile movie maker who captures a lot of footage, then the problem becomes even bigger. Of course, not everyone will be doing that, but there are lots of other types of large file that you might want to transfer, and whatever you’re transferring, that extra speed will enable you to do it a whole lot faster.

For more typical users, though, the slower speeds of USB 2.0 should still be adequate, so this upgrade won’t necessarily be a reason to shell out on one of the very best iPhones.

TOPICS

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

Read more
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
The iPhone 17 could launch with a display upgrade that makes the iPhone 17 Pro seem questionable
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
Apple could give the iPhone 17 Pro a super-useful reverse wireless charging feature
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max cameras could get both downgrades and upgrades this year
Apple iPhone 16 Review
The iPhone 17 might miss out on Apple’s latest new feature – but it’s not one you’d expect
Apple iPhone 16 Review
I’ve got two fresh iPhone 17 rumors for you, but one of them stinks
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
iPhone 17 Pro: latest rumors, tips and everything we’ve heard so far
Latest in iPhone
Apple CEO Tim Cook
Forget Siri, Apple needs to launch a folding iPhone and get back on track
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
The latest batch of leaked iPhone 17 dummy units appear to show where glass meets metal on the new designs
Apple iPhone 16e REVIEW
The iPhone 16e’s 5G performance seemingly has the iPhone 16’s beat
Tim Cook
The EU wants Apple to open iOS to competitors and this is the mother of all bad ideas
Apple iPhone 16 Review
iPhone 18 series: the 5 biggest rumors so far, from camera upgrades to new display tech
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
New rumors predict a foldable iPhone will launch next year – and cost almost twice as much as the iPhone 16 Pro Max
Latest in News
L-mount alliance
Sirui joins L-Mount Alliance to deliver its superb budget lenses for Leica, DJI, Sigma and Panasonic cameras
Security padlock and circuit board to protect data
Trust in digital services around the world sees a massive drop as security worries continue
Samuel and Romy standing very close together in A24's Babygirl movie
Everything new on Max in April 2025, including A24's Babygirl and The Last of Us season 2
An AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT made by Sapphire on a table with its retail packaging
AMD’s secret weapon against Nvidia seems to be stock – way more RX 9070 GPUs are rumored to be hitting shelves than RTX 5000 models
Hacker silhouette working on a laptop with North Korean flag on the background
North Korea unveils new military unit targeting AI attacks
Seth Milchick and Kier Eagan's animatronic speaking in Severance season 2 episode 10
Apple TV+ announces Severance has been renewed for season 3 after that devastating finale