iPhone 16 Series Might Not Be Offering ‘Faster USB 3 Speeds’ Despite Apple’s Claims

The iPhone 16 series technical specifications suggest that Apple might not be improving USB C transfer speeds.

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Written by Akash Dutta, Edited by Manas Mitul | Updated: 10 September 2024 19:34 IST
Highlights
  • iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus offer up to 480 Mbps transfer speed
  • iPhone 16 Pro models offer up to 10 Gbps transfer speed
  • Notably, iPhone 15 Pro models offered the same transfer speed

It appears that Apple was comparing the USB transfer speeds between A18 and A18 Pro chipsets

Photo Credit: Apple

iPhone 16 series was launched at Apple's “It's Glowtime” event with much fanfare on Monday. During the event, the company showcased several hardware and software upgrades the new generation of iPhone devices come with. However, it appears the company's wordings of “faster USB 3 speeds” might have been taken out of context, and the tech giant is not really offering improved transfer speed with the new lineup of iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

iPhone 16 Users Might Not Get Improved USB Transfer Speeds

The Cupertino-based tech giant stated while listing the numerous upgrades for the iPhone 16 Pro models that the new generation of Apple smartphones will get “faster USB 3 speeds”. However, as a MacRumors report pointed out, this might be confusing phrasing by the company.

Taking a look at the technical specifications of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models here and here reveals that the USB 2 and USB 3 transfer speeds for the base and Pro models are 480 Mbps and 10 Gbps, respectively. Interestingly, the same speeds were available in the iPhone 15 Pro and non-Pro models. If that is the case, then there is no real improvement in the transfer speeds.

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It appears what Apple actually wanted to communicate was that the iPhone 16 Pro models, powered by the A18 Pro chipset, offer faster data transfer speeds compared to the non-Pro models, which are powered by the A18 SoC.

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The claim would, however, stand true if the tech giant was comparing the iPhone 16 Pro's transfer speed with the iPhone 14 Pro, which was the last generation with the Lightning cable.

However, for those looking to get 10 Gbps transfer speeds with the iPhone 16 Pro models, users will require the appropriate USB-C cable, which has to be purchased separately. Notably, USB 3 is the third generation of the Universal Serial Bus standard which offers faster data transfer speeds compared to the previous versions.

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The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max also have a larger display with a 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen, respectively. The display also gets a 120Hz refresh rate (ProMotion) and up to 2,000 units of peak brightness.

 
REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Stunning display
  • Solid build quality and lovely colour options
  • Battery life is bonkers on this one
  • Excellent for gaming and performance (in general)
  • Improved cameras
  • Bad
  • Still offers a 60Hz refresh rate and misses out on AOD (always-on display)
  • No fast charging
  • Comes with USB 2
  • No Apple Intelligence features out of the box
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.70-inch
Processor Apple A18
Front Camera 12-megapixel
Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel
RAM 8GB
Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
OS iOS 18
Resolution 1290x2796 pixels
NEWS
REVIEW
  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery Life
  • Camera
  • Value for Money
  • Good
  • Massive screen size
  • Brilliant display
  • Performance beast
  • Camera Control is a boon
  • Fantastic battery life
  • Bad
  • Big phone for one-hand use
  • Expensive
  • No Apple Intelligence at launch
  • Slow-wired charging support
 
KEY SPECS
Display 6.90-inch
Processor Apple A18 Pro
Front Camera 12-megapixel
Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 48-megapixel
RAM 8GB
Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
OS iOS 18
Resolution 1320x2868 pixels
NEWS

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Further reading: Apple event, iPhone 16, Apple, iPhone, USB 3
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