We’ve known that the iPhone is switching to USB-C for a while now, but there was always a possibility that Apple would stick with Lightning for one more year. Based on the latest leaked images, however, Apple is all-in on USB-C for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models, with USB-C parts for the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, and iPhone 15 Pro Max all shown in a leaked image by X user fix Apple.
With the switch to USB-C, nearly all of Apple’s devices will have adopted the new standard, with only AirPods, Mac accessories, and the iPhone SE remaining aside from older iPhones and the 9th-gen iPad.
USB Type-C is not all over the place, it’s a pretty normal connector standard, that was updated a few times.
What may be confusing to is that there are also two other relevant standards:
Both of these standards require the USB Type-C connector for some of their features. Sometimes in a specific revision, for example at least USB Type-C Rev 2.1 is required for the Extendend Power Range introduced in USB Power Delivery 3.1 for charging at more than 100W.
Furthermore USB 3.1 has absorbed USB 3.0 and USB 3.2 has absorbed USB 3.1. Each time they renamed the old connection speeds. For example a USB 3.2 Gen 1×1 connection used to be called a USB 3.1 Gen 1 connection and before USB 3.1 came out it was called a USB 3.0 connection.
Finally USB Type-C has so called alternate modes, where the lanes for SuperSpeed USB can instead be assigned to carry other protocols, like DisplayPort.
Since very few features are actually required to be supported, and marketing managers are apparently allergic to precision, it’s hard to find out what feature is supported on which interface for any given device.
I think what confuses people is precisely the fact that we finally have one universal connector, because previously each connector basically only had one set of standards.
USB-C is a victim of its own success
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In reality USB Type-C is only a connector, not all the features people associate with it. Of course it’s going to be confusing if you insist on mushing the concepts up in your head even after an explanation. Just accept that there are at least four different things, Type-C, USB 3.2, Alternate Modes and USB PD, and start thinking in those categories.
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