The iPhone 15's USB-C port was rumored to be restricted in some fashion prior to Apple's launch event, with only Apple-approved cords and accessories allowed to utilize the maximum data transfer rates and charging capabilities.
According to a recent source, Apple has implicitly stated that there are no such limitations with the USB-C port in iPhone 15 models, which contradicts the scenario with the Lightning port in earlier iPhone models.
The rumors before launch
Apple's MFi (Made For iPhone) certification program is available for third-party cables and accessories with Lightning iPhones.
Manufacturers receive authentication chips in exchange for paying Apple a license fee. These chips inform the iPhone that the accessory is certified and should have all functions turned on. Without it, iPhones might have slower data transfer and charging rates.
There have been rumors that Apple would restrict access to the full functionality of the USB-C connector to only official Apple or MFi cables and gadgets because this is a nice little revenue stream for the corporation.
One of those to report this was ShrimpApplePro, who gained notoriety with the Dynamic Island and iPhone 14 RAM leaks.
Apple's documentation seems to contradict this.
The USB-C connector in iPhone 15 models, according to Arstechnica, is 100% standard and does not require cables or other accessories to be approved by Apple.
It cites Apple's updating of compatibility tables for current Mac and iPad USB-C chargers and cords to reflect that they are also compatible with the iPhone 15 as proof of this.
Since the current chargers and cables are 100% standards-compliant and do not contain authentication chips, the iPhone 15's USB-C connector cannot demand any authentication, much like Macs and iPads.
We'll have to wait a little while longer for reviews to offer the definitive evidence after using third-party cords and chargers, but Apple has undoubtedly given a strong indication that the reports are untrue.
You must still make sure that your wires are equipped with the appropriate features. The included cable in the iPhone 15 box won't work if you want to take use of the 10Gbps data transfer speeds of the iPhone 15 Pro models, for example; that specific rumor seems to be true. But at least MFi cables are exempt from the Apple tax.