What all can you do with the iPhone 15’s USB Type-C port?

The Apple iPhone 15 series has launched, and people all around the world have jumped up to pre-order their new iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max.

While the new devices come with a new chipset and some other features, notably including additions like Dynamic Island across the whole series and a new Action button on the Pro models, there’s a little something extra this year.

That’s because the new smartphones now come with a USB Type-C port. This includes both the Pro and both the non-Pro models, all of which can be charged with a USB Type-C cable. This move, partly taken up by Apple due to some EU pressure, has opened the doors for many Android users to switch over to Apple for the first time. The ports also open some new capabilities.

Here’s a look at everything one can do with the new Type-C port on the iPhone 15 series.

Use USB Type-C cables

This is probably the easiest perk to figure out – the new iPhones can be charged with USB Type-C cables and will no longer require the Apple-specific Lightning port cables. With the older port now discontinued, users can now expect all iPhones and other Apple accessories to feature USB Type-C ports in the future.

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This will soon mean users with multiple gadgets will be able to carry one cable to charge all their accessories. This is now true for the iPhone 15 series, which will join the iPad and MacBook series which already feature Type-C ports.

Use USB Type-C accessories

Apart from cables, iPhone 15 series users will also be able to use other Type-C based accessories, including power banks with built in cables, gaming controllers, and docks to name a few. The devices will also support wired Type-C earbuds, including Apple’s new AirPods.

Reverse charge your AirPods or Apple Watch

Apple’s support page reveals that the iPhone 15’s USB Type-C port will be able to charge accessories like an AirPods case or an Apple Watch. Users will be able to connect a Type-C to Type-C cable between an iPhone 15 and the target device. The device you want to charge can feature a Lightning or Type-C port.

For users, this allows you to use the charge stored in your iPhone to charge up accessories like your earbuds and watch. The feature will be handy when you’re on the move, and need more charging on your AirPods or Apple Watch, but have no access to a wall adapter. Since the battery capacity of most iPhones is significantly higher than the requirement of these accessories, one can use reverse charging to quickly top them up.

Reverse charge other smartphones

The reverse charging feature also extends to charging other smartphones. iPhone 15 series users can use a Type-C to Type-C or a Type-C to Lightning cable to reverse charge other smartphones. While these speeds may not be as high as charging from a wired or wireless charger, the feature can be a lifesaver during emergencies when you don’t have a charger around. This can be long road-trips, power cuts, or other similar scenarios.

Additional abilities on iPhone 15 Pro series

The USB Type-C port on an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max comes with some additional features, including faster data transfer speeds and the ability to record videos directly to an external device.

Faster data transfer: The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max come with a Type-C port with USB 3.0 speeds, allowing much faster wired data transfers, which can be up to 20 times faster than USB 2.0. This faster transfer speed will be ideal for users who frequently move a lot of photos or videos to laptops or desktops for advanced editing.

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Recording video to an external drive: Another new feature coming to the iPhone 15 series is the ability to record ProRES videos of up to 4K 60fps directly to an external drive. For users who use their phones for vlogging and shoots, this move will help save some time by eliminating the transfer step entirely. The external drive can now directly connect to a Mac or other machine. It remains to be seen whether this feature will be restricted to certain cables and drives.

Those are some of the best features the new Type-C port allows on the iPhone 15 series. If you’re looking to be one of the first people to get your hands on the new iPhones, the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro series phones are currently up for pre-order.