iPhone 16’s USB-C Port Stays Limited to USB 2 Speeds, Causing Confusion Due to Apple’s Vague Explanation

USB-C has become the universal standard in the tech industry, praised for its versatility and faster data transfer speeds. As Apple gradually moves away from its proprietary Lightning port, this shift continued with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models, following last year’s iPhone 15 series. Despite adopting the widely-used USB-C port, the data transfer speeds for the iPhone 16 models remain the same as their predecessors, leading to confusion among users.

iPhone 16 and 16 Pro Still Feature USB 2 Speeds, Matching Previous Models

During Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event, several new products were unveiled, with the iPhone 16 series receiving considerable attention. While Apple emphasized the transition to USB-C ports, the company’s explanation regarding charging and data transfer speeds left many scratching their heads.

Apple highlighted the introduction of faster USB 3 speeds for models equipped with the A18 Pro chip. However, this improvement only applies to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models, which feature transfer speeds up to 10GB/s. In contrast, the regular iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus continue to operate at USB 2.0 speeds (up to 480MB/s), unchanged from last year’s iPhone 15.

Unclear Presentation Causes Misunderstanding

Apple’s explanation created a perception that all models benefited from improved transfer speeds, but in reality, the upgrade only applies to the Pro models. The standard iPhone 16 models remain capped at the slower USB 2.0 speeds. When reviewing the technical specifications, this distinction becomes clear, confirming that no significant changes were made to the data transfer speeds for the non-Pro models.

As Apple continues expanding the use of USB-C across its devices, the hope is that future iterations will bring widespread improvements in both connectivity and data transfer performance.