I've noticed an issue when using an iPhone or iPad that uses a USB-C port (such as the iPhone 15 Pro or iPad Pro 12.9" 6th generation) and a USB-C to USB-C cable on ARM Macs (such as the M2 Mini). After rebooting the Mac, the iOS device is no longer recognized despite the iOS device continuing to charge.
I can temporarily resolve the issue by reseating the USB-C cable, which allows the device to be recognized again by applications like Finder. However, this isn't a practical solution due to the number of M2 Minis we have (each with an attached iPhone for testing) and the Mini's frequent automatic reboots throughout the day. Using a USB-A to USB-C cable (with USB-A connected to the Mac Mini) seems to avoid this problem altogether, as the iOS device remains consistently recognized after a reboot.
As the title suggests, this issue appears to be specific to ARM-based Macs. We've encountered it on both the M2 Mini and a 2021 Macbook Pro with the M1 Max chip. Interestingly, we haven't been able to reproduce this behavior on Intel-based Macs (tested on an 8,1 Mac Mini and a 2019 16" Macbook), where the iOS devices remain connected after a reboot when using a USB-C to USB-C cable. Here are some additional details:
iOS Devices & Versions:
- iPhone 15 Pro: Issue persists on both iOS 17.1 and iOS 18.0.1
- iPad Pro 12.9" (6th generation): Issue persists on both iPadOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 18.0.1
Cables:
- Apple's 60W USB-C Charge Cable (USB 2.0): Issue occurs
- Generic/Third-party USB-C cable (USB 3): Issue occurs