5/3 update below. This post was originally published on March 2
Apple’s new iPhone 15 models are getting rounder, faster and more affordable, according to the latest leaks. But it looks like their most requested feature right now is going to come with a nasty surprise.
ShrimpApplePro enjoys respect from Apple Certain Last month leaked that Apple would shut down the USB-C port on all iPhone 15 models. The leak states that “Yes USB-c does happen with MFI” and “Cables without MFI will be software limited in data and charging speed.”
This will astound Apple fans and industry watchers because 1) USB-C is supposed to be an open standard, and 2) Apple provided USB-C for iPads and MacBooks without any strings attached.
For those unfamiliar with MFi, it stands for “Made For iPhone/iPod/iPad” which is Apple’s official licensing program for accessories for those devices. The royalties associated with the MFi certification are not publicized, but their cost has been previously reported $4 per connector. This is why MFi licensed accessories cost significantly more than their unlicensed counterparts.
Apple spares manufacturers by installing an authentication chip on ports, which can even restrict accessories or disable them entirely. A pop-up notification also warns owners that an unauthorized accessory has been connected.
Apple argues that MFi protects the hardware, which has some advantages, though the profit generated by the software is widely seen as the main reason why the iPhone failed to transition to USB-C. After the EU’s crackdown on proprietary ports, Apple was expected to unlock iPhones, but now it appears the company has decided to game the standard.
This would be a hit since USB-C opens the door for iPhones to offer much faster charging and data speeds, and leaks claim that the iPhone 15 Pro models will offer more than 40 times faster performance. But for now, it seems only via MFi-certified accessories. Not the most environmentally friendly option for anyone who already has a drawer full of USB-C cables.
ShrimpApplePro reports that Foxconn has already begun mass production of MFI-certified accessories, including EarPods and cables for Apple. While it’s unlikely that iPhone fans would consider this news a deal-breaker, I suspect it’s how industry watchers and EU lawmakers expected USB-C to be implemented by the world’s largest smartphone maker.
Apple’s iPhone 15 range is expected to launch in September with a more rounded design, new body materials and colors, solid-state buttons, next-generation WiFi, and a 3nm A17 chipset. But also significantly higher prices.
Update 03/04: Anticipation is building around the next-generation A17 chipset, exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The A17 will be Apple’s first 3nm chipset and the first consumer-focused 3nm chip ever released, with only Samsung’s crypto-focused “Gate-All-Around” chips beating it in the market.
now, DigiTimes reports Sources said that Apple partner TSMC’s N3E (3nm enhanced) technology will enable significant specification upgrades in the upcoming iPhone series. Suppliers involved in the iPhone supply chain expect to order replacements for the 2023 models.”
Chipsets alone often don’t drive customer demand, with flashier upgrades such as exterior design changes and camera upgrades drawing customer attention. However, the suppliers here might be right if 3nm can live up to some of the bigger claims about its benefits.
Notably, 3nm reportedly 35% more energy efficient from the 5nm ‘N4’ manufacturing process used to make the A16 chipset inside the iPhone 14 Pro models, in addition to offering higher performance. Moreover, it is understood that Apple has bought all orders for TSMC’s first-generation 3nm technology, so competitors may wait a while to catch up. See this space.
Update 03/05: iPhone 15 details are still leaking. Today dropouts shrimp And Unknown 21 Check out a pair of leaked videos that show the front glass panels of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (left and center in the video below) compared to the iPhone 14 Pro (right).
This is the first time that a video has been leaked showing allegedly real iPhone 15 Pro components, and there are two major differences compared to its predecessor. First, they showed that the Pro models will indeed feature a new, curved design this year.
Second, the bezels are noticeably thinner than any iPhone Apple has released before. Slimming bezels always improve the look of a phone, however Pre-leaked dimensions For the iPhone 15 Pro Max, they are also suggesting that they will make the phone a bit shorter and narrower than the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Although it probably misses most of the differences:
- iPhone 15 Pro Max – 159.86 x 76.73 x 8.25 mm
- iPhone 14 Pro Max – 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.85 mm
Expected to be a Pro exclusive, this bezel-less iPhone 15 models take their design tips from the iPhone 14 Pro range, complete with a pill-shaped cutout and the Dynamic Island user interface.
At this point in the development of the iPhone, the improvements are accumulating more and more. However, the new designs seem to strike a nice balance between the hard edges of the iPhone 4-5 and iPhone 12-14 against the heavily rounded first iPhones, something that was reintroduced for the iPhone 6-8 with Apple’s historical flip-flops between two extremes.
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