iPhone 16 Series Might Not Be Offering ‘Faster USB 3 Speeds’ Despite Apple’s Claims

The iPhone 16 series technical specifications suggest that Apple might not be improving USB C transfer speeds.

Written by Akash Dutta, Edited by Manas Mitul | Updated: 10 September 2024 19:34 IST

iPhone 16 Series Might Not Be Offering ‘Faster USB 3 Speeds’ Despite Apple’s Claims

Photo Credit: Apple

It appears that Apple was comparing the USB transfer speeds between A18 and A18 Pro chipsets

Highlights

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus offer up to 480 Mbps transfer speed
iPhone 16 Pro models offer up to 10 Gbps transfer speed
Notably, iPhone 15 Pro models offered the same transfer speed

iPhone 16 series was launched at Apple's “It's Glowtime” event with much fanfare on Monday. During the event, the company showcased several hardware and software upgrades the new generation of iPhone devices come with. However, it appears the company's wordings of “faster USB 3 speeds” might have been taken out of context, and the tech giant is not really offering improved transfer speed with the new lineup of iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

iPhone 16 Users Might Not Get Improved USB Transfer Speeds

The Cupertino-based tech giant stated while listing the numerous upgrades for the iPhone 16 Pro models that the new generation of Apple smartphones will get “faster USB 3 speeds”. However, as a MacRumors report pointed out, this might be confusing phrasing by the company.

Taking a look at the technical specifications of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models here and here reveals that the USB 2 and USB 3 transfer speeds for the base and Pro models are 480 Mbps and 10 Gbps, respectively. Interestingly, the same speeds were available in the iPhone 15 Pro and non-Pro models. If that is the case, then there is no real improvement in the transfer speeds.

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It appears what Apple actually wanted to communicate was that the iPhone 16 Pro models, powered by the A18 Pro chipset, offer faster data transfer speeds compared to the non-Pro models, which are powered by the A18 SoC.

The claim would, however, stand true if the tech giant was comparing the iPhone 16 Pro's transfer speed with the iPhone 14 Pro, which was the last generation with the Lightning cable.

However, for those looking to get 10 Gbps transfer speeds with the iPhone 16 Pro models, users will require the appropriate USB-C cable, which has to be purchased separately. Notably, USB 3 is the third generation of the Universal Serial Bus standard which offers faster data transfer speeds compared to the previous versions.

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max also have a larger display with a 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen, respectively. The display also gets a 120Hz refresh rate (ProMotion) and up to 2,000 units of peak brightness.

iPhone 16

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A18

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1179x2556 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 16 Plus

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Stunning display
Solid build quality and lovely colour options
Battery life is bonkers on this one
Excellent for gaming and performance (in general)
Improved cameras

Bad
Still offers a 60Hz refresh rate and misses out on AOD (always-on display)
No fast charging
Comes with USB 2
No Apple Intelligence features out of the box

Read detailed Apple iPhone 16 Plus review

Display 6.70-inch

Processor Apple A18

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1290x2796 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 16 Pro

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.30-inch

Processor Apple A18 Pro

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1206x2622 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 16 Pro Max

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Massive screen size
Brilliant display
Performance beast
Camera Control is a boon
Fantastic battery life

Bad
Big phone for one-hand use
Expensive
No Apple Intelligence at launch
Slow-wired charging support

Read detailed Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max review

Display 6.90-inch

Processor Apple A18 Pro

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1320x2868 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Apple event, iPhone 16, Apple, iPhone, USB 3

Akash Dutta Email Akash Dutta

Akash Dutta is a Senior Sub Editor at Gadgets 360. He is particularly interested in the social impact of technological developments and loves reading about emerging fields such as AI, metaverse, and fediverse. In his free time, he can be seen supporting his favourite football club - Chelsea, watching movies and anime, and sharing passionate opinions on food. More