The EU has stipulated that all phones and tablets must use identical charging ports.
The EU announced that all companies will be required to make USB-C their common charging port for all smaller electronic devices by autumn 2024. The port will soon be mandatory for laptops.
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Apple will have to redesign its iPhone and drop the Lightning cable it has used for over ten years. The majority of Android phones use a USB C port for charging.
The EU argued that the different charging ports used by different companies encourage electronic waste and lead to confusion for customers.
Apple is one of the many companies that have claimed flexibility in choosing which charging ports they include in their devices. Apple’s Lightning connector is much smaller than the standard USB C plug.
Apple’s resistance may be waning. However, a Bloomberg report recently suggested that Apple was developing a USB-C capable iPhone. Apple has switched from Lightning to USBC in its iPads and laptops.
Some reports suggest that Apple may eliminate the charging plug altogether and encourage users to use wireless charging to charge their devices.
According to the EU, it will issue new rules that standardize wireless charging technology in the future.
After the summer recess, the new agreement will be officially approved by the EU parliament and council. It will then be published in the official journal of the EU. The agreement will be in effect within 20 days. After 24 months, the rules will apply.
Devices first sold after Autumn 2024 won’t have to conform with the new rules.
