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 information switch speeds.
USB-C makes it straightforward 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 together 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. Nonetheless, it started adopting USB-C throughout Mac and iPad fashions since 2015 as a method to modernize PC connectivity. USB-C is flexible, carrying energy and information with the identical connector. And USB-4 / Thunderbolt provides even larger information switch speeds.
On the similar time, USB-C was turning into more and more well-liked 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 implementing USB-C because the common connector for telephones. That will imply Apple would a minimum of must make a particular mannequin of iPhone for the European market. That brings its personal problems. As a substitute, Apple selected to simply undertake USB-C throughout the board … and other than the frustration of consumers having to vary out all their present now-defunct Lightning cables, that brings loads of advantages …
Common USB-C Charging
Now that you’ve got an iPhone 15, you’re in all probability near with the ability to use the identical single cable to cost your whole units. Virtually 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 will also be charged by plugging in to one among 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. Not like Lightning, USB-C just isn’t proprietary. To cost your Apple gear, you should utilize any USB-C charging cable or accent in the marketplace. 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 velocity, you wish to use a 20-watt or 30-watt energy adapter. You’ll be able to safely use the next wattage energy adapter just like the one which comes together with your MacBook; the cellphone will routinely handle the ability. Be taught extra about fast-charging iPhone 15 right here.
Cost different units together with your iPhone 15 battery
One other cool angle of the USB-C charging story is which you could now use the iPhone to cost different equipment. The iPhone 15 can settle for as much as 27 watts by way of the USB-C port, however itself may output about 4.5 watts. (Lightning may solely handle a measly 0.3watts.)
This implies you’ll be able to really use your spare iPhone battery to energy and cost related equipment. In case your AirPods are operating low, in a pinch, you’ll be able to plug them into your cellphone and your cellphone will high up the juice in your AirPods case. You would even high up the battery of one other individual’s iPhone — however simply bear in mind it’s going to take some time.
Simply hook up with exterior shows
With Lightning, you may solely hook up with exterior shows through a clunky dongle. With USB-C on iPhone 15, you’ll be able to output to a display straight. Use a USB-C to HDMI cable and present your iPhone display on a 4K TV or monitor, with display mirroring. In case you are watching a film in a video streaming service app, the movie will routinely fill the TV dimensions with playback controls on the contact display. Simply exhibit your photograph library or conduct a presentation with Keynote by simply plugging your cellphone straight 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 efficient selection for this use case, because it permits for HDMI, energy output for steady charging and passthrough USB-C in a single handy dongle.
Increase 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 straight utilizing the Information app on iPhone. Should you go on vacation and take a devoted digital camera with you, you’ll be able to import pictures straight from the SD card into your iPhone’s photograph library. Then, empty the SD card and maintain taking pictures when you edit and add the images you’ve taken in your cellphone’s huge touchscreen.
The iPhone 15 Professional Digital camera app permits you to file ProRes 4K at 60 FPS video on to USB-3 storage. ProRes is uncompressed and the file sizes are big, consuming gigabytes per minute of recording. However pairing your iPhone with a 1 TB transportable SSD, you’ll be able to file for some time earlier than operating out of house. This requires a USB-3 cable (not merely cost cable) to make the most of the quick 10Gbps switch speeds doable by way of the iPhone 15 Professional’s port.
Join {hardware} keyboards and wired web
Generally, wi-fi doesn’t lower it — and also you simply have to plug in. USB-C on iPhone helps nearly 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 in case you are podcasting on the highway, you’ll be able to file utilizing a mini USB-C microphone. One other risk is wired web, utilizing a USB-C to Ethernet adapter. And if in case you have a MIDI keyboard, you may make a track on the go along with an app like GarageBand.
Wired headphones that work together with your cellphone and pc
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 together 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 pc with a USB-C port, so you’ll be able to lastly use the identical wired headphones throughout your cellphone, iPad and Mac. An growing variety of high-end headphones and audio system additionally depend on USB-C connectivity as of late.
Join multi-port hubs
USB-C may be very versatile and permits for information 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 kinds 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 connect with exterior shows, hook up with energy, plug in USB equipment and an exterior show all on the similar time.
The one factor you have got to remember is that the iPhone can output energy to the hub at 4.5 watts. iPad and Mac can provide a lot larger bus-powered wattage, so in case you are utilizing them with the iPhone, you could have to additionally plug in an exterior energy supply.
A few of these capabilities have been beforehand doable with Lightning however necessitated massive, clunky, and particular goal adapters for every use case. USB-C is standards-based which suggests something you purchase may also 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 together 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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