(Credit: Zain Awais/PCMag/Apple)
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Apple’s new iPhone Air might boast some cutting-edge features, including a thin design. But the company has decided to stick with USB 2 rather than USB 3.
The iPhone Air comes with a USB-C port, but the connection only supports USB 2 speeds, according to the product’s spec sheet. Thus, owners will need to settle for data transfer rates that top out at 480Mbps with a USB-C cable.
The USB 2 connection can also be found on the base model iPhone 17, a trend that began with the iPhone 15, the first iPhone to feature USB-C.
For a faster USB 3 connection, consumers will need to opt for the iPhone 17 Pro models, which can offer a data transfer rate up to 10Gbps. But like before, it seems you’ll need to buy your own USB 3 cable to reach those speeds. The bundled USB-C cable appears to only support USB 2 transfer rates.
Still, Apple is bringing Bluetooth 6 to all three iPhone models, an upgrade from Bluetooth 5.3. The new wireless standard promises to reduce data latency while improving power efficiency, saving on battery life.
All three models also receive support for Wi-Fi 7, which Apple introduced in last year’s iPhone 16 models. But again, you’ll need to buy a Wi-Fi 7 router and subscribe to a high-speed internet plan to reap the benefits, at least at home.
Apple plans on launching the new iPhones on Friday, Sept. 19. Stay tuned for our reviews.