The European Commission has proposed legislation that would make USB-C the standard charging port for all mobile devices, which would mean that Apple would have to switch to this port as the standard for the iPhone within two years of the law coming into force.
As already expected, the EU has put forward a legislative proposal for a unified charger, which could mean that Apple will have to replace its iPhone Lightning connector with USB-C. The Radio Equipment Directive also proposes that chargers will be "unbundled" from the sale of the devices and that manufacturers will no longer be able to "unjustifiably" limit charging speeds. explained Margrethe Vestager, Vice-President of the Commission:
EU on USB-C standard: “Increase convenience and reduce waste”
European consumers have been frustrated for long enough with incompatible chargers piling up in their drawers. We have given the industry plenty of time to find its own solutions, now the time is ripe for legislative action for a common charger. This is an important victory for our consumers and the environment and is in line with our green and digital ambitions.
At the same time, Thierry Breton, Commissioner for the Internal Market, said the proposal was about “putting an end” to unnecessary and non-replaceable chargers.
With our proposal, European consumers will be able to use a single charger for all their portable electronic devices, an important step to increase convenience and reduce waste.
iPhone: MagSafe will play a much bigger role
The new legislative proposal must next be approved by the European Parliament before becoming law. If this happens, which is expected, there will be a 24-month transition period to "give industry sufficient time to adapt".
In the meantime, Apple made the following statement:
We remain concerned that strict regulation requiring only one type of plug will hinder rather than encourage innovation, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world.
Apple has already introduced USB-C on devices such as the new iPad mini 6. But the iPhone 13 series still uses Lightning. It is possible that Apple will switch to USB-C on future iPhones. But observers think this is unlikely, as Apple is more interested in wireless charging in order to be able to introduce a portless iPhone. As a result, MagSafe will probably play a much larger role than it does now. (Photo by anilbolukbas / Bigstockphoto)
