Behold, the $29 USB-C-to-Lightning dongle. Apple/ZDNET
So, the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro have been unveiled, and we learned a few new things. First, USB-C is better than Lightning, now that Apple has been forced to adopt the standard.
Also: Apple iPhone 15 hands-on: New features left me with no Pro model envy at all
Who knew?
Well, I think most of us did.
But getting rid of a port — either by choice or because the company had to comply with EU law — is an opportunity to sell customers yet another dongle.
Apple likes dongles, and as predicted, here is the USB-C-to-Lightning dongle.
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USB-C to Lightning Adapter
With this dongle, you can connect Lightning accessories to a USB-C-enabled iPhone or iPad to support three functions: Charging, data, and audio.
All $29 of it.
The dongle features “a braided cable for added durability” and supports charging up to 24W. According to Apple, this dongle allows users to connect Lightning accessories to a USB-C-enabled iPhone or iPad to support three functions — charging, data, and audio.
Also: iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro: Which model is the best to buy?
As well as bringing back the Lightning port on the new iPhone 15, this dongle will also work with iPads and iPad Pros that trailblazed the switch over to USB-C a few years ago.
A question that many of you have been asking is whether a dongle — or a new car — is needed for wired CarPlay to work.
Good news! According to Apple, while you will be able to use the USB-C-to-Lightning dongle with wired CarPlay “in most vehicles,” “some combinations of adapters, cables, and vehicle entertainment systems” may cause problems with the wired CarPlay connection. In this case, you can use a USB cable to connect your car directly to the iPhone 15’s USB-C port.
That is a roundabout way of saying you’re probably better off using a cable than the dongle.
Also: Here’s how Apple just made the iPhone 15 Pro much easier to repair
I’d also expect the market to be flooded with cheaper versions of this dongle. While I’d steer clear of the cheap and nasty no-name stuff, I’d expect the big names in accessories to have something similar at a slightly better price than Apple is offering this dongle for.
