Apple’s upcoming USB-C ports and cables for this year’s iPhone 15 will feature a a Lightning-like authenticator chip, potentially limiting their functionality with Apple-unapproved accessories.

The information came to light on a Weibo post when a user claimed that Apple has created a bespoke version of the USB-C standard for its next-generation phones.

If true, this might mean that future third-party USB-C iPhone cables will have to be certified under the Made for iPhone program to fully support features like fast charging, data transfer, etc.

According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the USB-C port on the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus will remain limited to USB 2.0 speeds – the same as Lightning. Only the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max models will get faster transfer speeds.

As a result, the only major difference between Lightning and USB-C on the standard ‌iPhone 15‌ models could simply be the physical shape of the connector.

The iPhone giant has long argued that these measures help protect users against dodgy or counterfeit cables, but it should be noted that the company gets a cut of those Made for iPhone products, which interface with a chip in the port itself.

It was hoped Apple’s EU-mandated switch to USB-C might help users adjust to a universal standard. However, that might not be the case.