Bad news for USB-C on iPhone 15

3 years ago 1

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Apple could potentially limit the usefulness of third-party USB-C cables and other peripherals with its upcoming iPhone, according to a report from Chinese tech leaker Mobile Chip Expert.

In a post on Weibo, the leaker said an iPhone client told them that Apple is making a USB-C authenticator chip, which will feature in the ports of this year’s iPhone and MFi-certified devices.

MFi stands for “Made for iPhone” and is the certification Apple gives as a form of assurance that a device would play nicely and safely with its smartphones.

It works through an integrated chip developed by Apple that verifies if a device offers the highest level of compatibility with iPhones.

Companies outside of Apple that want to make Lightning-based peripherals with MFi certification must first pay a $99 (R1,768.58) annual membership fee, excluding taxes.

On top of this, they pay an MFi royalty fee for every chip-equipped Lightning connector they want to use on the device that is capable of performing to Apple’s specifications.

While the most up-to-date royalty fee is unknown, the company was charging $4 (R71.49) per Lightning connector as of 2018.

These charges add to the overall production cost of the peripherals — including cables — which makes Made for iPhone devices more expensive than those without the certification.

Without MFi certification, a third-party Lightning cable won’t be able to charge an iPhone as fast as Apple’s advertised speeds. It might also result in the iPhone presenting a “This accessory is not supported” warning.

Apple argues that the MFi program protects its customers’ devices from products that could potentially harm their devices due to poor quality control.

The company’s move away from Lightning on its iPhones is due to new European Union (EU) laws which will make a USB-C port compulsory for a wide range of electronic devices, including smartphones, from late 2024.

One of the primary consumer benefits of switching to USB-C would be that iPhone owners can use the same cord they would for charging other devices.

However, with a new USB-C authenticator chip supposedly coming for the iPhone’s USB-C port, Apple could potentially cap charging and data transfer speeds on cables that don’t have the new MFi certification.

Apple’s other devices that currently come with USB-C ports — like the iPad — don’t have a proprietary interface that requires MFi-certified USB-C cables to perform optimally.

Should Apple push ahead with this implementation, it remains to be seen whether it would sit well with the EU.