Own an iPhone 15 and AirPods? You need this sanity-saving charging accessory

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By Axel Metz
published

My favourite iPhone 15 accessory has just been sliced in price

USB-C cable deal hero
(Image credit: Future / Apple)

We’ve all been there. You’ve just hopped onto the train, mentally prepared for the dopamine rush of that first killer Spotify track when – bam! – your Apple AirPods trigger that soul-crushing 'out of charge' jingle. Your heart sinks. Disaster. Cue the unwelcome sounds of the outside world; the horror!

But what if you never had to worry about your AirPods running out of charge again? Or, more specifically, you always had a way to charge them, wherever you are? Well, dear reader, thanks to the reverse charging capabilities of the iPhone 15, you’re now able to do just that using only a USB-C cable, irrespective of which AirPods you own. When you’re out and about, simply hook up your AirPods to your iPhone 15, and watch that battery refill.

Granted, if you own an iPhone 15 and AirPods, you’ll already have a suitable USB-C to USB-C cable – or USB-C to Lightning cable – to charge the latter on-the-go. But chances are you, like me, leave this cable plugged in at home to fulfil your nightly iPhone/AirPods charging needs. So, why not pick up a spare cable to throw in your jacket pocket or work bag? If you do, you’ll always have a way to charge your AirPods, regardless of where you are in the world, just so long as your iPhone 15 has plenty of charge left in the tank.

I'm telling you this now because both versions of Apple’s USB-C cable are currently on sale in the US and UK. In the US, for instance, you can pick up Apple’s official USB-C to Lightning cable at Amazon for $16.99 (down from $19), while the company’s brand new woven USB-C to USB-C cable has also been discounted to the same price. In the UK, you’ll find Apple’s USB-C to Lightning cable at Amazon for £15.20 (down from £19), while John Lewis has the newer USB-C to USB-C cable down to just £15.20, too.

I want to particularly shout-out Apple's woven USB-C cable. Just last week I turned to TechRadar's managing editor Roland Moore-Colyer and waxed lyrical about how the look and feel of this new cable is pretty much one of my favorite new things about the iPhone 15 range. Sure, it might sound a tad hyperbolic – a cable is just a cable, after all – but Apple devices have always leaned heavily on the power of simple aesthetics, and this braided USB-C cable is the latest example of that winning design ethos.

Best Black Friday Apple USB-C cable deal

Apple USB-C to Lightning cable US: $19$16.99 at Amazon UK: £19£15.20 at Amazon

Apple USB-C to Lightning cable
US: was $19 now $16.99 at Amazon
UK: was £19 now £15.20 at Amazon
If you own an iPhone 15 and any generation of AirPods whose charging case uses Lightning rather than USB-C, this is the discounted cable to go for.

View Deal
Apple woven USB-C to USB-C cable US: $19$17 at Amazon UK: £19£15.20 at John Lewis

Apple woven USB-C to USB-C cable
US: was $19 now $17 at Amazon
UK: was £19 now £15.20 at John Lewis
If you own an iPhone 15 and the latest iteration of Apple's AirPods Pro 2 (which come equipped with a USB-C charging case), you'll want to pick up Apple's (beautiful) woven USB-C to USB-C cable.

View Deal

More Black Friday deals (US) 

More Black Friday deals (UK) 

Axel Metz
Axel Metz
Phones Editor

Axel is TechRadar's UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site's Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion.  Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.

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