It looks even more likely that iPhones will soon ditch Lightning cables, as all smartphones sold in the European Union will have to use USB-C ports by fall 2024. This includes Apple’s iPhone and other electronic devices such as handheld video game consoles, tablets, laptops, etc.
Corresponding The edge, this legislation has been in the works for more than a decade and both parties have agreed to make the change. The law has to be approved by both Parliament and the Council of the European Union later this year, although it is very likely that the law will be passed.
It has been previously reported that the current Apple products that still use Lightning chargers are Airpods, the Apple TV remote, the MagSafe battery, the MagSafe Duo charger, and the iPhone. The iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad Mini and Macs have already switched to USB-C.
Last year, Apple openly criticized and told the move Reuters legislation “stifles innovation rather than encourages it, which in turn hurts consumers in Europe and around the world”.
The European Union has decided to introduce a “common charger” to reduce e-waste while making things easier for consumers. The European Union predicts that the new legislation will save shoppers €250 million a year and reduce e-waste by 11,000 tonnes.
A European Union press release states that the new legislation applies to devices “which are rechargeable via a wired cable”. Apple could circumvent this new legislation by developing a portless iPhone, but that seems unlikely as wireless charging isn’t as reliable and has trouble syncing with other devices.
The only piece of legislation that has not yet been finalized was the laptop charging standard. Phone companies have 24 months to switch to USB-C, while computer companies have 30 months to make the switch. This is mainly because laptop chargers use different power requirements.
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