iPhone 15 Series to Feature Thunderbolt, USB 4 Support for Faster Data Transmission Speeds: Report

Apple's upcoming iPhone 15 series of smartphones could feature data transfer speeds of up to 40Gbps over the rumoured USB Type-C port.

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Written by David Delima, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 17 August 2023 15:30 IST
Highlights
  • iPhone 15 series is expected to make its debut in September
  • The upcoming smartphone series is tipped to feature a USB Type-C port
  • iPhone 15 series' new port could offer faster data transmission speeds

Apple is yet to announce plans to launch the successors to the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus

iPhone 15 series — expected to debut in September at Apple's next launch event — will reportedly be equipped with a new chip that will enable data transmission at a faster rate than existing iPhone models. The Cupertino company's upcoming smartphones are likely to drop the proprietary Lightning port in favour of the widely used USB Type-C port. By switching to the modern connector, future iPhone models could offer not only faster charging rates but also rapid data transmission speeds.

Tipster "fix Apple" recently shared images of the charging connector (CC) flex cable for four smartphones — the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. In another post on X (formerly known as Twitter) the account also shared the iPhone 15 series CC flex cable and the integrated circuit (IC) and power supply management chip. A new report now claims that the chip on the images for all handsets could improve the performance of the port compared to older models.

According to a ChargerLAB report, magnifying the images shared by the X user indicate the presence of an IC located behind the USB Type-C socket, which is a Retimer chip typically found on high-speed data transmission devices that support Thunderbolt and USB 4 for high-speed transfers. If the claims made in the report are accurate, all of Apple's upcoming handsets could support data transfers at up to 40Gbps.

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The rumoured Retimer chip might not be the only chip making its way to the iPhone 15 series — a recent report suggests that the company could equip the handsets with an Apple-made 3LD3 chip. According to the tipster, the device could use the chip for transmission encryption that could regulate charging speeds and enhance data transfers on the iPhone 15 lineup.

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Apple hasn't announced a launch date for the iPhone 15 series, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman states that the company could unveil the handsets on September 12 or September 13. A handset, believed to be the iPhone 15, was recently spotted on the BIS certification website, hinting at an imminent launch in the country. Meanwhile, Bloomberg recently reported that the Cupertino-based iPhone maker has started production of the iPhone 15 series in Tamil Nadu, ahead of its launch in the country.


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REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Big upgrades over the 14
  • Excellent ergonomics, build quality
  • Very good all-round performance
  • Apple ecosystem benefits
  • Bad
  • Relatively slow charging
  • Expensive
  • Still a 60Hz display
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.10-inch
Processor Apple A16 Bionic
Front Camera 12-megapixel
Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel
RAM 6GB
Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
OS iOS 17
Resolution 1179x2556 pixels
NEWS
REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Excellent display
  • USB Type-C
  • AAA gaming
  • Excellent all-round performance
  • Good primary and telephoto camera
  • Customisable Action Button
  • Bad
  • Gets hot quickly when stressed
  • Slow wired charging
  • Expensive
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.70-inch
Processor Apple A17 Pro
Front Camera 12-megapixel
Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel
RAM 8GB
Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
OS iOS 17
Resolution 1290x2796 pixels
NEWS

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