European lawmakers will meet on June 7 when they seek to finalize an agreement to enforce a single universal charging port law, which would require all mobile devices sold in the EU to offer USB-C ports for charging.
This idea has been on the minds of EU regulators for almost a decade, citing the environmental benefits of e-waste. Earlier plans have led to strong rejection from Apple, which hinted that it would stifle innovation.
Universal charging port law applies to smartphones, tablets, and headphones. Devices that only charge wirelessly are exempt, such as an Apple Watch.
Details such as when the requirements will take effect will be discussed at the June 7 meeting. It is also possible that some aspects of the law may be reduced in order to pass it.
Apple has previously opposed the plans, saying that forcing it to leave the Lightning port would upset consumers and cause e-waste because iPhone customers will have to replace all of their existing Lightning accessories.
However, in recent months, rumors suggest that Apple could go ahead with its own plans to drop Lightning anyway. Both Bloomberg and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have reported that Apple is testing iPhone 15 models with USB-C ports. The iPhone 15 will arrive in the fall of 2023. This year’s iPhone 14 line will continue to feature Lightning ports for connectivity and charging.
In addition to the convenience of using the same charging port as the company’s laptops and iPads, a USB-C iPhone will allow Apple to offer faster data sync speeds and (possibly) faster charging speeds.
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