The new port also adds the capability for faster data transfer. However, for the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, Apple is limiting the data transfer speeds to the current 480 megabits per second. Upgrade to the iPhone 15 Pro models and you’re able to unlock up to 10 Gigabits per second thanks to USB 3 support. The company is including a braided and color-matching USB-C to USB-C cable in the box, though this cable is limited to the baseline 480 Mbps transfer speeds. If you want to unlock the full potential of the Pro models, you’ll need to buy your own capable cable.
Unfortunately, while USB-C could have opened the door to faster charging, Apple did not announce any improvement in charging speeds. On the company’s spec page, the official charging speed is still limited to 20 watts.
Apple has been adding USB-C to many of its own devices since 2015, but it has been collecting licensing fees for the Lightning port, which may partly be why the iPhone has been the longest holdout. However, last year the European Union ruled that USB-C must be on all new phones, tablets, and cameras by the end of 2024, and so here we are.
Video: Apple
Along with USB-C, all four new iPhone models now have the Dynamic Island, which was first introduced and restricted to last year’s iPhone 14 Pro models. This is the pill-shaped cutout at the top of the display housing the TrueDepth selfie camera. Gone is the notorious notch that debuted on the iPhone X. But the Dynamic Island, as its name suggests, is adaptive, almost acting like a second screen. If you’re waiting for an Uber ride, the driver’s arrival time will show up in the Dynamic Island. You can also see passive information from alarms, timers, flight information, and live sports game scores without ever having to hop into an app itself.
The 6.1-inch iPhone 15 and 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus retain the same size as their predecessors. They come in black, blue, green, yellow, and pink. Outside of the Dynamic Island and USB-C, these two models aren’t too different.
