At this level, it’s practically a certainty that Apple can be making the change to USB-C with this yr’s iPhone 15 lineup subsequent month, however now a brand new report is suggesting that it could possibly be taking issues a giant step additional.
Over the previous week or so, a number of units of leaked images have appeared, purporting to indicate iPhone 15 USB-C connector parts. These embody the port itself in addition to a number of of the chips that may energy the brand new connector.
Now, the oldsters at ChargerLAB have taken a more in-depth take a look at these, together with one other set of photographs despatched to them straight, and found that one of many chips is designed to deal with higher-speed Thunderbolt/USB4 knowledge transfers.
Along with the revelation of the iPhone 15’s port design, a mysterious IC is faintly seen behind the USB-C feminine socket. Upon magnification, it turns into obvious that this IC is a Retimer chip. This implies that a number of fashions inside the iPhone 15 collection will help Thunderbolt/USB4’s high-speed 40Gbps knowledge transmission.
ChargerLAB
To be clear, there’s no conclusive proof that the leaked images truly signify parts for the iPhone 15 lineup. Nonetheless, if these are certainly images of USB-C {hardware} for the iPhone 15 and ChargerLAB’s evaluation of the mysterious chip is correct, this can be a big improve for this yr’s iPhone lineup.
Whereas Thunderbolt/USB4 received’t do something for charging speeds, it does promise a big enchancment in knowledge switch speeds — theoretically as much as 40Gbps, assuming different inner {hardware} parts just like the flash reminiscence chips can sustain.
This higher-speed know-how isn’t new to Apple merchandise, however it could be the primary time sooner knowledge switch speeds have come to the iPhone. Apple has absolutely embraced Thunderbolt/USB4 at the least for its total Apple silicon Mac lineup, with some higher-end fashions taking it up a notch to full Thunderbolt 4.
Nonetheless, amongst Apple’s cell units, solely the iPad Professional lineup makes use of the newer and sooner port know-how. The iPad Air has a USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port that caps out at 10Gbps, whereas even the most recent commonplace iPad nonetheless plods together with a 480Mbps USB-C 2.0 connector.
That’s the identical USB commonplace velocity as Apple’s Lightning port, even on the most recent iPhone 14 Professional fashions — and it’s remained unchanged since Apple switched to Lightning with the iPhone 5 in 2012.
These speeds have historically been advantageous for many iPhone customers, particularly in an period when comparatively few folks plug into their computer systems to switch knowledge, nonetheless, that modified considerably for some people two years in the past when the iPhone 13 Professional introduced ProRes video recording to the desk.
All of the sudden, an iPhone may report and retailer ginormous video information — as much as 7GB for a single minute of 4K video shot at 30 frames per second (fps). That’s doubtless a key motive Apple added a 1TB mannequin to the lineup, however sadly it didn’t do something to assist people get these large movies off the iPhone and onto a pc for archival or modifying functions. At USB 2.0 speeds, a five-minute 4K/60fps ProRes recording may simply take quarter-hour or extra to switch.
Whereas many hoped that the change to USB-C would carry sooner switch speeds, that’s not a requirement of the port, as evidenced by the Tenth-generation iPad. Nonetheless, even USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 can supply as much as a 20X enhance in wired switch speeds, and Thunderbolt/USB4 guarantees to at the very least double or presumably even quadruple that, though the precise enchancment will rely on a number of different variables.
What’s notably attention-grabbing is the likelihood that Apple may add Thunderbolt/USB4 throughout all the iPhone 15 lineup as a substitute of limiting it to the iPhone 15 Professional and iPhone 15 Professional Max. ChargerLAB notes that the leaked images embody USB-C {hardware} for 3 fashions: the iPhone 15 Professional Max, the iPhone 15 Plus, and the iPhone 15. Whereas the iPhone 15 Professional is lacking from that listing, it’s inconceivable that it could be the exception; it’s extra doubtless that the leaker’s sources couldn’t present images of parts for all 4 iPhone fashions.
Whereas it’s not out of the realm of chance, seeing Thunderbolt/USB4 seem on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus could be a stunning bonus. On the iPad facet, Apple solely introduced Thunderbolt/USB4 to its Professional fashions, and that would appear to make much more sense for the iPhone, the place the ProRes video recording and bigger ProRAW picture codecs that necessitate sooner switch speeds are unique to the Professional lineup.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]