At the end of December 2024, a new EU law will come into force that will force smartphone manufacturers to use a standardized charger. For Apple, this means that the iPhone must now also have a USB-C connection.
The EU wants to enforce the new law by all means – and is now even threatening Apple with a sales ban if the company does not comply with the iPhone 15.
It all comes down to implementation
Although Apple has already vowed to want to comply with the law, there are apparently ambiguities in the implementation. According to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the company appears to be planning to reduce the power of uncertified chargers, TECHBOOK reported. Accordingly, only MFi-certified devices should be able to charge the iPhone 15 at full speed. A special chip ensures that the iPhone can differentiate between certified and non-certified models.
Apple already operates a similar practice with its own Lightning cable. They will only be recognized correctly by the iPhone if they carry the MFi label and have the correct chip. The abbreviation stands for “Made for iPhone”. The program allows Apple to curb the spread of counterfeit and potentially dangerous products. However, manufacturers have to pay a fee to the company for MFi accessories. That’s a sizable sum considering the volume of iPhone accessories sold.
EU Commission threatens Apple with iPhone 15 sales ban
EU Commissioner Thierry Breton took the rumors of MFi-certified USB-C charging cables as an opportunity to write a letter to Apple, saying:time onlinereported. In the letter, the commissioner warns Apple that the EU will only allow the iPhone 15 to be sold if it meets the requirement for uniform chargers. So that there is no room for interpretation, the EU Commission wants to publish guidelines for the law this year.
TECHBOOK asked Apple for a statement on the matter. If we get a response, we’ll update this article accordingly.