Yesterday Apple released iOS 13 developer beta 3 and introduced some minor changes to the operating system when compared with the second beta. However it looks like there’s more to iOS 13 beta 3 than meets the eye, as folks over at 9to5Mac have discovered a new and unannounced feature in the iOS 13 code base.
The new discovery was made in the Setup app’s assets, which runs when user is setting up his or her new device for the first time out of the box or after a factory reset. The assets include an image that shows a wired connection between two iPhones, suggesting Apple is working on a new way that would allow users to transfer data from one iPhone to another iPhone using a cable.
While users are able to share files wirelessly over AirDrop, the new wired connection will most likely make it easier for users to transfer their data from their old iOS device to a new one, without relying on iTunes or iCloud backups. This is also evident in the included graphic, which shows a newer iPhone connected with an older Home Button equipped iPhone in the background.
Interestingly the iPhones shown in the Setup app assets are connected with a USB cable, however currently Apple does not sell a Lightning to Lightning USB cable, however the company does sell a lightning to USB-C cable allowing users to connect their lightning iPhones to their MacBooks. This could mean that Apple is either going to introduce a new Lightning to Lightning USB cable, or perhaps more likely add a USB-C port in its upcoming lineup of iPhones.
9to5Mac notes that they were not able to activate the transfer feature on a device running iOS 13 beta 3 after a reset, suggesting Apple has yet to activate this feature.
