Your Next iPhone May Come With A USB Type-C Charging Port, Thanks To This New EU Law
Bye bye, lightning.
By Hafiz Zainuddin — 07 Oct 2022, 12:19 PM
Earlier this week, the European Parliament voted in overwhelming favour for European consumers to use a single charging solution for their electronic devices
The legislation suggests that by the end of 2024, all mobile phones, tablets, and cameras that are sold in Europe will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port.
Additionally, the bill will be extended to laptops by 2026.
This decision was made in order to reduce electronic waste and empower consumers to make more sustainable choices
According to a report by the European Commission, disposed and unused chargers account for 11,000 tonnes of e-waste annually in the European Union (EU).
This action can also help consumers save about 250 million euros (RM1.13 billion) a year on unnecessary charger purchases.
This means that Apple will most likely make the switch from lightning to USB Type-C sooner or later
The press release also stated that these rules don't apply to products that are already in the market. However, the bill will only take effect in 2024.
If we take note of this timeline, it means that if Apple is already working on their next iPhone lineup (most probably named the iPhone 15), they won't be required to opt for the USB Type-C port next year. However, it's safe to assume that the following model (presumably the iPhone 16) will feature the new charging system.
Beyond the iPhones, Apple will need to consider changing its charging port for all its devices
This encompasses all Apple products from Air Pods to iPads. However, if Apple is still strict on its stance of not wanting to change to USB Type-C ports, they could remove the charging port entirely and have all their devices powered through wireless charging indefinitely.
Overall, The Verge reports that switching to USB Type-C can actually be an upgrade for the company, as the universal connector is known to support higher data transfer and charging speeds.
