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Apple’s iPhone 15 range, recently announced, is making waves in the tech world with its substantial move away from a proprietary charging port to a standard USB-C port. This marks a significant shift in Apple’s design philosophy, effectively breaking away from the company’s long-standing tradition of using proprietary charging ports for its flagship smartphone.
The switch to USB-C has heralded a rush of new cables and adapters available at the Apple Store, each with premium price tags. These products, while similar to less expensive counterparts for the now ubiquitous USB-C port, bear the hallmark of Apple’s premium branding.
For instance, the USB-C to Lightning adapter is priced at $29, three times the cost of a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter for audio connectors. This pricing trend reflects the premium often associated with Apple products. However, the transition to USB-C introduces an additional layer of price increase for commonly used products.
A 20W USB-C Wall Adapter costs $20, while a 60W woven charging cable (1 meter) costs $20. A 2 meter version of the cable is priced at $30 and supports adapters with up to 96W of charge. Despite these products transferring data at USB-2 speeds, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models theoretically support speeds up to USB-3.
At the higher end of the spectrum, the Thunderbolt 4 USB-C Pro Cable, which supports up to 100W charging and transfer speeds of up to 40 GB/s in USB 3 and USB 4, costs a staggering $69.
Interestingly, Apple appears to understand that users would rather extend their battery life than maximize their charge. A hidden code within the iOS 17 RC sent to app developers reveals a feature that allows users to limit the maximum battery charge to less than a full 100%. This option, accessible in the battery settings menu, lets users customize the limit at which maximum charging will end.
Charging a lithium-ion battery to 100% can accelerate degradation, making this feature a welcome addition for a phone that now makes it easier for users to find a charging cable.