On the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, Apple lastly removed the Lightning port and changed it with USB-C. This opens up an entire new world of comfort of connecting equipment and peripherals. The iPhone 15 Professional and iPhone 15 Professional Max go one step additional, because the USB-C port on the professional fashions helps USB-3 speeds, enabling as much as 10 Gbps knowledge switch speeds.
USB-C makes it simple to attach shows, exterior storage, cameras, and cost utilizing the identical cable as all of your different units. Right here’s what you are able to do along with your new iPhone and its shiny new port …
Why did Apple change from Lightning?
Apple was absolutely invested in Lightning port ecosystem on the iPhone. Nevertheless, it started adopting USB-C throughout Mac and iPad fashions since 2015 as a approach to modernize PC connectivity. USB-C is flexible, carrying energy and knowledge with the identical connector. And USB-4 / Thunderbolt gives even greater knowledge switch speeds.
On the identical time, USB-C was changing into more and more standard on the Android facet of the smartphone market. However Apple caught with Lightning on iPhone, partly as a result of they have been nonetheless stung from the backlash of 30-pin -> Lightning transition that occurred greater than a decade in the past.
The forcing issue for Apple was the EU fee, who’ve handed laws to cut back e-waste by imposing USB-C because the common connector for telephones. That will imply Apple would no less than must make a particular mannequin of iPhone for the European market. That brings its personal issues. As an alternative, Apple selected to simply undertake USB-C throughout the board … and other than the frustration of consumers having to alter out all their present now-defunct Lightning cables, that brings plenty of advantages …
Common USB-C Charging
Now that you’ve got an iPhone 15, you might be most likely near with the ability to use the identical single cable to cost all your units. Nearly all iPads have a USB-C port, and all Macs have been sporting USB-C for a decade. The latest Macs include Apple’s MagSafe charger, however they can be charged by plugging in to certainly one of their USB-C ports too. The newest-generation Apple TV comes with a USB-C distant, and Apple simply launched a brand new AirPods Professional with a USB-C charging case. You can too now purchase simply the USB-C case individually from the Apple Retailer.
Apple sells its personal USB-C cost cables, and the iPhone comes with a pleasant high quality woven cable within the field itself. In contrast to Lightning, USB-C isn’t proprietary. To cost your Apple gear, you need to use any USB-C charging cable or accent available on the market. That features cheaper USB-C cables, and USB-C cables of various types and lengths. Anker has a really handy twin 47 watt USB-C energy adapter, for instance.
To cost your iPhone at full pace, you wish to use a 20-watt or 30-watt energy adapter. You may safely use the next wattage energy adapter just like the one which comes along with your MacBook; the cellphone will robotically handle the ability. Study extra about fast-charging iPhone 15 right here.
Cost different units along with your iPhone 15 battery
One other cool angle of the USB-C charging story is that you could now use the iPhone to cost different equipment. The iPhone 15 can settle for as much as 27 watts by means of the USB-C port, however itself may output about 4.5 watts. (Lightning might solely handle a measly 0.3watts.)
This implies you’ll be able to really use your spare iPhone battery to energy and cost linked equipment. In case your AirPods are working low, in a pinch, you’ll be able to plug them into your cellphone and your cellphone will prime up the juice in your AirPods case. You would even prime up the battery of one other individual’s iPhone — however simply remember it’s going to take some time.
Simply connect with exterior shows
With Lightning, you could possibly solely connect with exterior shows through a clunky dongle. With USB-C on iPhone 15, you’ll be able to output to a display screen instantly. Use a USB-C to HDMI cable and present your iPhone display screen on a 4K TV or monitor, with display screen mirroring. If you’re watching a film in a video streaming service app, the movie will robotically fill the TV dimensions with playback controls on the contact display screen. Simply showcase your picture library or conduct a presentation with Keynote by simply plugging your cellphone instantly right into a projector.
One of many use instances Apple is pushing is positioning iPhone as a transportable video games console. Utilizing the ability of the A17 Professional chip inside, iPhone 15 Professional can run some top-end video games with excessive graphical constancy. Pair an Xbox or PlayStation recreation controller, join your cellphone to a TV, and begin gaming. The Apple USB-C Digital AV adapter is an effective alternative for this use case, because it permits for HDMI, energy output for steady charging and passthrough USB-C in a single handy dongle.
Broaden your native storage with transportable USB-C onerous drives and SD playing cards
Join a USB-C onerous drive or SD card reader and browse information instantly utilizing the Recordsdata app on iPhone. Should you go on vacation and take a devoted digicam with you, you’ll be able to import pictures instantly from the SD card into your iPhone’s picture library. Then, empty the SD card and hold taking pictures whilst you edit and add the images you’ve taken in your cellphone’s massive touchscreen.
The iPhone 15 Professional Digital camera app permits you to report ProRes 4K at 60 FPS video on to USB-3 storage. ProRes is uncompressed and the file sizes are enormous, consuming gigabytes per minute of recording. However pairing your iPhone with a 1 TB transportable SSD, you’ll be able to report for some time earlier than working out of house. This requires a USB-3 cable (not merely cost cable) to reap the benefits of the quick 10Gbps switch speeds potential by means of the iPhone 15 Professional’s port.
With iOS 18, utilizing exterior storage with iPhone and iPad is even simpler. The Recordsdata app can now natively erase and re-format linked drives, so that you don’t want to make sure the drive is already within the right disk format, if beforehand used elsewhere.
Join {hardware} keyboards and wired web
Generally, wi-fi doesn’t reduce it — and also you simply have to plug in. USB-C on iPhone helps virtually any primary accent you’ll be able to consider, with out the necessity for particular drivers or further configuration. It’s all plug and play. Which means you’ll be able to join a {hardware} keyboard will simply work.
Or if you’re podcasting on the highway, you’ll be able to report utilizing a mini USB-C microphone. One other risk is wired web, utilizing a USB-C to Ethernet adapter. And when you have a MIDI keyboard, you can also make a music on the go together with an app like GarageBand.
Wired headphones that work along with your cellphone and laptop
Since Apple dropped the headphone jack, a lot of the world has moved on to utilizing Bluetooth wi-fi headphones like AirPods. However should you nonetheless choose to plug in with a wire, utilizing wired headphones with iPhone has been an inconvenient affair. Lightning earbuds labored along with your cellphone, however nothing else.
Now, it’s all a lot less complicated. iPhone 15 works with any USB-C headphones, together with Apple’s new USB-C EarPods. These headphones will work with any laptop with a USB-C port, so you’ll be able to lastly use the identical wired headphones throughout your cellphone, iPad and Mac. An rising variety of high-end headphones and audio system additionally depend on USB-C connectivity lately.
Join multi-port hubs
USB-C may be very versatile and permits for knowledge and energy to journey over the identical port. This implies you’ll be able to carry a single dongle, which is a multi-port hub comprising all types of IO. These are tremendous handy as iPad and Mac equipment, and now work with the iPhone too.
For instance, this $25 Anker 5-in-1 hub will work with the USB-3 USB-C port on iPhone 15 Professional and allow you to hook up with exterior shows, connect with energy, plug in USB equipment and an exterior show all on the identical time.
The one factor you’ve to remember is that the iPhone can output energy to the hub at 4.5 watts. iPad and Mac can provide a lot greater bus-powered wattage, so if you’re utilizing them with the iPhone, chances are you’ll have to additionally plug in an exterior energy supply.
A few of these capabilities have been beforehand potential with Lightning however necessitated massive, clunky, and particular goal adapters for every use case. USB-C is standards-based which suggests something you purchase will even work with different units too. You don’t want to hold a particular Lightning SD card reader anymore; the identical USB-C peripheral will work simply as properly along with your iPhone, iPad, Mac and any Home windows PC or Android units within the household as properly. The common connector life is lastly right here.
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