Apple USB-C: I’m Psyched the iPhone 15 Has It, but There’s a Downside

I love USB-C, the data and charging port I first encountered in my 2016 MacBook Pro that has since spread to almost every device in my life and now is arriving on the new iPhone 15 smartphones and AirPods Pro 2 earbuds.

I wanted a USB-C iPhone in 2018, back when Apple first added that tech to the iPad Pro. I grew more optimistic in 2021, when Apple spread USB-C to lower-end iPads. And though I’m skeptical that regulation is the best way to direct product development, I’m not displeased that the European Union has now pushed Apple toward USB-C. Charging everything with USB-C is great for me.

So I’m psyched the iPhone 15 models all get USB-C ports. But here’s the bad news Apple didn’t share at its iPhone launch event last Tuesday: Millions of people entering the USB-C ecosystem will encounter the technology’s ugly side too.

The utility and flexibility of USB-C are tainted by confusion over just what the heck comes along with that USB-C port on the side of a device and the cable you plug into it. In short, it’s not always obvious whether your device or cable supports high-speed data…