Apple adds USB 3 speeds to iPhone 15 Pro but you won’t get those out of the box

Apple added the USB-C to the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro. The company said that the Pro models would get up to 10 Gbits per second. However, you won’t get that speed out of the box because Apple is shipping a USB 2.0 cable with a type-C port.

During the keynote, Apple said that users will have to use “an optional USB 3” cable to unlock higher data speeds.

“A new USB controller enables USB 3 speeds on iPhone for the first time, now supporting much higher transfer speeds and video output up to 4K at 60 fps HDR,” the company said in a press release.

While there might be third-party vendors selling compatible cables in the future, Apple currently sells a Thunderbolt 4 cable on its site separately for $69. So to get the full advantage of “USB 3 speeds.”

It’s notable that the iPhone 15 supports a USB-C port with USB 2.0 speeds, which is 480 Mbits per second. That’s not great in 2023.

Additionally, Apple is introducing a slew of USB-C accessories including charging cables with higher wattage and a USB-C to lightning dongle. Essentially, you will need to spend more if you want something better than the out-of-the-box USB-C cable.