Apple's iPhone 15 series will officially only support USB-C accessories certified by Apple's own Made for iPhone (MFi) program. This could limit the functionality of non-Apple-certified accessories, as a well-known leaker now claims.
Since their introduction in 2012, MFi-certified Lightning ports and connectors have included a small integrated circuit that confirms the authenticity of the parts involved in the connection. For example, non-MFi-certified third-party charging cables do not have this chip, which often results in a "This accessory is not supported" warning on connected Apple devices. It is widely expected that Apple will replace the Lightning port on the iPhone 15 models with a USB-C port.
Apple sticks to MFi certification
Earlier this month, there were rumors from China that the new USB-C port will still have an authentication chip like Lightning, even though the USB-C ports on Apple’s iPads do not have such a chip. In a new Tweet ShrimpApplePro seemed to confirm the rumor by claiming that "USB-C is coming with MFi" and that Foxconn is already mass producing accessories like EarPods and cables that meet Apple certification. The authentication chip is designed to encourage customers to buy licensed iPhone peripherals while Apple receives a commission on MFi-certified accessories and the MFi program makes it easier to expose counterfeit and potentially dangerous accessories.
iPhone 15: Apple could restrict third-party USB-C cables via software
Despite these benefits, there is concern from a user perspective that Apple could use the MFi program to limit features like fast charging and high-speed data transfer to Apple and MFi-certified cables. And that's exactly what's to be expected, according to AppleShrimpPro.
Cables without MFi will have their data and charging speeds limited by software.
According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus' USB-C port will be limited to Lightning/USB 2.0 speeds while faster transfer speeds will be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models. ShrimpApplePro's tweets add a new dimension to Kuo's prediction. ShrimpApplePro leaked the Dynamic Island hardware design on the iPhone 14 Pro models and is known for his leaks. Earlier this month, he said that the iPhone 15 Pro will have even thinner bezels around the display. ShrimpApplePro also claimed that at least one iPhone 15 model will have a titanium frame and curved back edges, which could reflect the curved edges. (Photo by yalcin.sonat / Bigstockphoto)
