Apple May Limit USB Type-C Port Functionality on iPhone: Report

Countries around the world, including India, are considering using USB Type-C as a universal charging port for all electronic devices. The European Union has already introduced regulations that will make USB Type-C connectors, widely used in Android phones, the standard for mobile phones, tablets and cameras, and will implement them by 2024. Apple said last year that it would comply with EU law. . A new report now suggests that the Cupertino company may introduce Lightning-like restrictions on USB Type-C ports in its upcoming smartphones.

According to MacRumors report with reference to bug on Weibo, Apple intends to use a dedicated integrated circuit (IC) interface for the future USB Type-C port, which will allow it to authenticate the components involved in the connection. Since its introduction in 2012, first-manufacturer and MFi-certified Lightning ports and connectors have included a small integrated circuit that verifies the authenticity of the elements present in the connection. This is similar to the restrictions the company has placed on their Lightning port.

The verification system built into the Lightning interface generates alerts that alert users with a “This accessory is not supported” message when connecting a device that is not made by Apple and is not part of its “Made for iPhone” (MFi) licensed program.

It’s worth noting that none of Apple’s existing USB Type-C electronic devices, iPad 10th Gen, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro include any restrictions on USB Type-C port functionality, and because this limitation is stated by a tipster, it is recommended to take it with a grain of salt.

It’s unclear if this change will have a significant impact on the functionality of future Apple devices, but it’s possible that the company will limit fast charging and high-speed data transfer to Apple and MFi-certified cables, according to the report.

TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously suggested that the iPhone 15 series will ditch the Lightning port in favor of USB Type-C, which could boost data transfer speeds significantly. However, high-speed wired USB Type-C may only be available on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and high-end iPhone 15 Ultra.

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max/Ultra are expected to have at least USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. USB 3.2 technology can transfer data at up to 20 Gbps and Thunderbolt 3 at up to 40 Gbps. According to the analyst, this may increase the demand for chips for high-speed data transmission. Notably, most Android phones currently use the older USB 2.0 technology.