Qi2 is a new wireless charging standard expected to go into widespread use later in 2023. And, according to an unconfirmed report, the upcoming iPhone 15 will be one of the handsets that supports it, including 15W charging.
That’s not surprising, considering Qi2 is heavily based on the MagSafe system built into current iPhones.
Ahead of Apple’s transition from Lightning ports to USB-C for its devices, the European Commission warned the company not to limit the functionality of charging cables that don’t carry Apple’s MFi certification.
EU Commissioner Thierry Breton reportedly sent a letter to Apple addressing rumors that iPhone charging and data-transfer speeds might be reduced when using non-MFI USB-C cables. Breton reminded Cupertino that such limitations could lead to iPhones being banned from the European market.
Apple will seemingly equip the USB-C port on the iPhone 15 Pro lineup with Thunderbolt 3 capabilities. This opens the door to connecting high-bandwidth storage devices and other accessories to the upcoming iPhone.
Apple already includes a Thunderbolt 3 port as standard across its iPad Air and iPad Pro lineups. This allows the tablets to drive external monitors with up to 6K resolution.
A new rumor claims Apple will offer the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus in a cyan-green color. Additionally, the company apparently plans to use a frosted glass back on these phones.
Up to this point, Apple only used frosted glass on its iPhone Pro lineup. (The iPhone 14 series features a clear glass back.)
Apple may not ship the iPhone 15 Pro series with the rumored unified solid-state capacitive buttons. TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple abandoned the plan due to “unresolved technical issues.”
Previously, multiple rumors indicated Apple would replace the physical buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro with capacitive keys. The design also would have added two new Taptic Engines to simulate the feeling of pressing physical buttons.
New detailed renders detail the more extensive changes Apple is planning for the iPhone 15 Pro series. Leaked CADs have already revealed the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro design.
This includes a bigger camera hump, slightly more compact dimensions, curved edges for the titanium chassis and more.
USB-C is finally coming to the iPhone, but there are rumors and speculation that only Apple-approved cables will be able to charge the device. Realistically, though, there’s no way Apple would be allowed to get away with that.
The European Union is forcing Apple to drop the Lightning port, and would surely squash attempts to make USB-C into anything but a universal standard. That’s if Apple is even trying to do that, which is questionable.
Apple will include a new low-power microprocessor to power the iPhone 15 Pro’s capacitive buttons. This will enable the solid-state buttons to function even when the phone is switched off or has a dead battery.
The new microprocessor will also take over other low-power tasks like Apple Pay Express Card and Find My functionality. Apple’s A-series chip currently handles these tasks in super low power mode.
Apple removed the SIM card tray from the iPhone 14 units sold in the US. With the iPhone 15, the company seemingly plans to ditch the SIM slot on the iPhone in even more countries.
A new report indicates the iPhone 15 could launch with only eSIM support in France.
Apple could optimize the fast-charging performance of MFi-certified USB-C power bricks for the iPhone 15. The company is expected to ditch the Lightning connector and transition to USB-C on its 2023 iPhone lineup.
Due to this change, Apple reportedly expects a strong demand boost for its 20W USB-C charger.
