Want Thunderbolt transfer speeds for your iPhone 15 Pro? Apple will sell you an extra cable

(Image credit: Future)

The new iPhone 15 lineup has been rumored to release with USB-C since before even the iPhone 14 was announced. Now, just a few weeks away from the next Apple event, we’re finding out more about the new move from Lightning to USB-C in this year’s iPhones.

This week, we reported that the cable provided in the regular iPhone 15 box will only be capable of USB 2.0 transfer speeds. Now, a new claim from leaker Kosutami expects Apple to offer iPhone 15 Pro owners the optional purchase of a USB-C data transfer cable capable of Thunderbolt or USB4 speeds up to 40Gbps.

The leak, posted on Twitter (now X), claims the cable will be 0.8 meters and support charging up to 120W. This cable will be sold separately, despite the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max having the capability to reach speeds far beyond the cable included in the box.

We’re expecting to see faster charging speeds in the new iPhones thanks to the rumored change to USB-C. This means unlike the maximum 27W speeds of the iPhone 14 Pro, we could see the iPhone 15 support 35W alongside a new stacked battery configuration.

Data transferring cable for iPhone 15 Pro- which sold separately. Up to 120W Charge, features USB4 Gen2. Length 0.8m.(Different than existing thunderbolt one)(Already got this since feb)(DVT Sample)#Apple #appleinternal pic.twitter.com/M5genGQ2NKAugust 25, 2023

Faster speeds at an additional price — iMore’s take

So the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro are rumored to be even more expensive this year, with some reports claiming a $100-$200 price increase. You’d expect for that additional cost, you’d get the cable required to make the most of your fancy new flagship smartphone, but it appears that Apple might have other plans.

The argument could be made that not everyone needs such a powerful cable, and therefore, not supplying one helps reduce overall costs and prevents waste. But the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max will all likely come with a USB-C cable, so why not give customers who fork out for the latest and greatest capabilities to get the most from the new USB-C port?

We’ve seen Apple previously do similar things with the USB-C Lightning cable when fast charging was originally launched in the iPhone 8 back in 2017, so this rumor comes as no surprise.

With only a few weeks to go until the rumored September 12 Apple event date, we’ve not got long to wait to find out what’s going to be included in the box of your new iPhone.

John-Anthony Disotto is the How To Editor of iMore, ensuring you can get the most from your Apple products and helping fix things when your technology isn’t behaving itself. Living in Scotland, where he worked for Apple as a technician focused on iOS and iPhone repairs at the Genius Bar, John-Anthony has used the Apple ecosystem for over a decade and prides himself in his ability to complete his Apple Watch activity rings. John-Anthony has previously worked in editorial for collectable TCG websites and graduated from The University of Strathclyde where he won the Scottish Student Journalism Award for Website of the Year as Editor-in-Chief of his university paper. He is also an avid film geek, having previously written film reviews and received the Edinburgh International Film Festival Student Critics award in 2019. John-Anthony also loves to tinker with other non-Apple technology and enjoys playing around with game emulation and Linux on his Steam Deck.

In his spare time, John-Anthony can be found watching any sport under the sun from football to darts, taking the term “Lego house” far too literally as he runs out of space to display any more plastic bricks, or chilling on the couch with his French Bulldog, Kermit.