The Council of the European Union has finalized legislation making USB-C the charging standard for smartphones sold in the EU. Apple had resisted this for a long time.
As the last smartphone manufacturer to still use a proprietary connector, Apple is particularly affected by the new USB-C law. If the company wants to continue selling iPhones in the EU from 2024, it must comply with the regulation. Now an Apple executive has confirmed it will.
Is Apple bringing the iPhone with USB-C?
The Wall Street Journal interviewed Craig Federighi and Greg Joswiak, both Apple executives, at its Tech Live conference. The first question the two executives had to grapple with was, “Is Apple also moving to USB-C?” According to Joswiak, senior vice president of marketing, the company will have to comply with the law. But he also criticizes that the step would mean that more than a billion Lightning cables in circulation would be useless. That could cause an unimagined amount of e-waste.
However, Joswiak did not want to comment on when Apple could introduce an iPhone with a USB-C connection. He was also unable to answer the question of whether the company is planning an iPhone specifically for the EU. According to EU regulations, all smartphones sold in the region must have the same charging connection from 2024. However, there are insider reports that Apple plans to switch to USB-C as early as 2023. The connection has certain advantages such as faster loading speed and higher transfer rates.
It’s worth noting that Joswiak hasn’t said a word about whether Apple will even release an iPhone with USB-C. EU law only covers devices that actually have a physical charging port. For years there have been rumors about a completely connection-free iPhone that only charges wirelessly. Apple already uses the corresponding technology in the form of MagSafe. However, experts such as Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believe that there are still too many problems with a connector-free design. This includes, for example, data transmission as well as maintenance and repair processes. USB-C as an intermediate step is therefore probably necessary before the wireless iPhone comes.
Also Read: Apple Should Finally Discontinue the Lightning Connector
Conversion to USB-C almost complete
Now that Apple has also equipped the entry-level 10th generation iPad with a USB-C port, Lightning has disappeared from all major devices. Only iPhone accessories like AirPods and a few Mac accessories like Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse still use this connector. All other iPads and MacBooks have been using USB-C for a long time.