The European Union has reached a historic agreement to force a wide range of consumer electronics, including the iPhone and AirPods, to include a USB-C port for charging in the fall of 2024.
In a press release, the European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection announced that it had reached an agreement to introduce a law to make USB-C the common charging port for a large number of consumer electronics in the fall of 2024.
The proposal, known as a directive, will require all consumer electronics manufacturers selling devices in Europe to ensure that all new phones, tablets, laptops, digital cameras, headphones, earphones, portable video game consoles and portable speakers have a USB-C port. , regardless of manufacturer. Exemptions will only apply to devices that are too small to offer a USB-C port, such as smart watches, health trackers, and some sports equipment, but the legislation will be extended to other devices such as laptops over time.
This “common port” would be a worldwide novelty and would especially affect Apple, as it makes extensive use of the Lightning connector instead of USB-C on many of its devices. MEPs say the measure will reduce e-waste, address product sustainability and make it more convenient to use different devices.
The EU also seeks to ensure that wireless charging solutions are interoperable as technology evolves over time. The new directive proposes to enable the European Commission to develop delegated acts that require companies to make their customized wireless charging solutions more open and to comply with interoperability standards, helping consumers to avoid getting stuck in charging solutions. at the same time avoid fragmentation and reduce waste. It’s unclear if this would include Apple’s MagSafe charging system for iPhone and AirPods, as it is based on the Qi wireless charging standard.
In 2018, the European Commission tried to reach a final resolution on the issue, but it did not become legal. At the time, Apple warned that forcing a common charging port in the industry would stifle innovation and create e-waste, as consumers were forced to switch to new cables. The EU’s effort resumed last year, with the European Commission leading an updated version of the directive. In April, the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection voted in favor of the directive, with 43 votes in favor and only two against.
The legislation has yet to be formally approved by the European Parliament and the European Council later this year. It will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU and its provisions will start to apply to new devices within 24 months.
Both Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman of Bloomberg have said that Apple is testing a version of the iPhone that has a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port. Kuo believes that Apple could change the “iPhone” to USB-C from the iPhone 15 in 2023, before making the transition to AirPods and other accessories at a later date. This time period would allow Apple to switch its affected devices to USB-C before the EU directive comes into force.
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