The iPhone 15 USB-C port is one of the most shocking changes that Apple's made to the iPhone 15 series. But luckily for anyone alarmed by this update, Apple's also introduced a $29 USB-C to Lightning adapter for those that need it.
Apple's known for offering backward compatibility for its products through the power of the dongle, and that's exactly what this new USB-C to Lightning one's for. The store page promises it'll work for your power, data transfer and audio needs, and work with CarPlay connections too.
At 30 bucks, the price of this adapter is in line with several of Apple's other dongles. However, this one appears to be slightly higher quality than the average model, since the cable is braided rather than simple plastic.
Do you really need this dongle?
Apple's been selling Lightning accessories for a decade, so anyone swapping to an iPhone 15 will no doubt already have Lightning cables, adapters and more. But paying $30 to convert one cable at a time seems like a bad deal.
For one, Apple's already helping iPhone 15 users out with USB-C adoption by including a nice braided cable in the box with the iPhones. Plus, if you need extras, you can find all sorts of cables online that you can buy for far less than the price of a single dongle.
It feels like this adapter will really only suit users who are determined to minimize their e-waste and want to keep using their Lightning accessories for as long as possible. Perhaps some users with unique Lightning accessories, ones that may not get a USB-C update for some time, could also benefit from a dedicated adapter for their iPhone.
USB-C is only one of the big changes coming to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. We also saw Apple introduce a 48MP main camera and Dynamic Island notch to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. Meanwhile the iPhone 15 Pro got an Action button and a powerful A17 Pro chip, with the Pro Max gaining a unique 5x telephoto camera on top of that. You can check out our iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max hands-on for our first impressions of the new devices.
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