iPhone 15 Pro with USB C to serial adapter rs232 ftdi uart etc

I'm looking at a way to connect my iPhone 15 Pro via a USB C to Serial adapter to a console, I was hoping someone might have already done a lot of the leg work but I'm finding it very hard to get any info on it. I did find the Redpark USB-C Serial Cable C4-DB9V, but at €90 delivered, I consider that a bit expensive when I can find a generic USB C to serial on Amazon for £5. So I'm wondering before I start buying and returning tons of cheap adapters if anyone had one they have already tried and found to work?

iPhone 5c, iOS 10

Posted on Dec 23, 2023 4:26 AM

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Posted on Mar 13, 2024 4:23 PM

I work for Redpark... Our USB-C Serial Cable for iPhone/iPad is licensed/certified via Apple's "Made for iPhone" program. It contains an Apple authentication chip (as required per Apple spec) and has firmware that supports the required Apple API ("iAP2"). The circuit is built around an STM32 arm processor that, amongst other things, supports field firmware updating and allow us to revise the function of the cable's firmware over time. We've had a need to do this mutliple times in the past decade as Apple specs evolved. The cheap, incompatible USB-C serial cables that you can find on Amazon are based on one time programmable processors from suppliers such as FTDI or Prolific. These cables do not implement Apple specs and can not be updated. You get what you pay for.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 13, 2024 4:23 PM in response to _Plasma_

I work for Redpark... Our USB-C Serial Cable for iPhone/iPad is licensed/certified via Apple's "Made for iPhone" program. It contains an Apple authentication chip (as required per Apple spec) and has firmware that supports the required Apple API ("iAP2"). The circuit is built around an STM32 arm processor that, amongst other things, supports field firmware updating and allow us to revise the function of the cable's firmware over time. We've had a need to do this mutliple times in the past decade as Apple specs evolved. The cheap, incompatible USB-C serial cables that you can find on Amazon are based on one time programmable processors from suppliers such as FTDI or Prolific. These cables do not implement Apple specs and can not be updated. You get what you pay for.

Mar 1, 2024 4:21 AM in response to _Plasma_

"any Serial communication device should work"


I'm curious why you'd believe that.


USB is serial - that's the S in USB. There's no standard that encompasses all serial devices. Just going between serial protocols like RS232 and RS422 requires specific hardware. There's no standard for voltages - TTL serial is 0-5v, while RS232 is +/- 3-15v .... different topologies ...

Dec 23, 2023 4:41 AM in response to ProustGiulio

I will have built the device I am talking to via serial, hence why I asking regarding generic USB to Serial from the iPhone. However that said, there should be no dependency on the device I am talking to as any Serial communication device should work. If you mean support on the IOS end then something like Terminus which supports serial via USB, but I'm also open to writing my own Terminal software to talk to it. I'm mainly trying to identify what USB to Serial hardware the phone will recognise and I can go from there.

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iPhone 15 Pro with USB C to serial adapter rs232 ftdi uart etc

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