Why You Shouldn't Celebrate The iPhone 15's Forced USB-C Support Just Yet

A new rumor concerning Apple's upcoming switch to USB-C with its upcoming iPhone 15 series of smartphones may leave fans of the phones a little irritated. The latest leak suggests Apple may integrate its Made for iPhone (MFi) technology into its next-gen iPhones.

The European Union (EU) passed new legislation that requires all portable devices charged via a wire to be equipped with a USB Type-C port. While the company has already implemented USB-C ports with its iPad and MacBooks, Apple had yet to willingly bring USB-C functionality to its beloved iPhone. This is more than likely due to the number of iPhones sold compared to both iPads and MacBooks, and the money that could be made by clinging onto the lightning port on the smartphones. Now, it seems that the Cupertino-based company may have found a way to cling to its old ways.

According to a post on Weibo, Apple plans to integrate its MFi technology into the USB-C ports of its upcoming iPhone 15 models. The technology is currently not implemented with the USB-C ports on an iPad or MacBook. If the rumor holds true, this would mean if a user were to plug in a non-certified cable, they would be alerted with the "This accessory is not supported" message. It also would more than likely mean an uptick in the cost of the smartphone as well.

It is not certain exactly how integrating the MFi tech into the iPhone 15 family of phones will work. Some have said it will at the least mean that if you use a non-certified USB-C charging cable, you will not be able to take advantage of the fast-charge feature. It is also not known if this move would remove the ability to transfer data while using a non-certified cable.

It would be surprising if the company made a non-certified cable obsolete in terms of working with an iPhone because that would completely negate what the EU's legislation was aiming for, which is to lessen waste from having to use so many different cords across devices.

Whatever Apple has up its sleeve in terms of its upcoming iPhone models with USB-C, it is certain the EU will be watching closely. Fans of Apple products will be watching as well, as the company could decide to add MFi to future generations of its iPad and MacBook depending on whether it is well-received on the iPhone.