14 DAY TRIAL // The European Union has announced something that everybody hoped to see happening: device makers selling their products on the continent would have to offer a USB-C connector. And yes, the new regulations also concern Apple, which means the tech giant would have to convert the iPhone from Lightning to USB-C.
We’ve known for a while that Apple has been considering a switch to USB-C, but so far, the company has just decided to stick with Lightning for as long as possible.
While the vote on the new ruling has been given earlier this year, the Parliament approved the requirements today, so beginning with the end of 2024, device makers are required to offer USB-C on smartphones.
The requirement applies to phones, tablets, and cameras sold in the EU. And starting with the spring of 2026, the same thing will cover laptops as well.
“Regardless of their manufacturer, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds and laptops that are rechargeable via a wired cable, operating with a power delivery of up to 100 Watts, will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port,” the EU explains.
The European Union says the decision will help reduce the impact on consumers and the environment, as users would no longer have to keep a dedicated charger for each of their devices. The EU estimates the decision will help save no more, no less than 250 million euro a year customers would otherwise spend on charger purchases.
“The common charger will finally become a reality in Europe. We have waited more than ten years for these rules, but we can finally leave the current plethora of chargers in the past. This future-proof law allows for the development of innovative charging solutions in the future, and it will benefit everyone - from frustrated consumers to our vulnerable environment. These are difficult times for politics, but we have shown that the EU has not run out of ideas or solutions to improve the lives of millions in Europe and inspire other parts of the world to follow suit,” Parliament’s rapporteur Alex Agius Saliba (S&D, MT) said.