EU agrees directive that will force Apple to change iPhone charging port

[elsiegee40]

https://news.sky.com/story/eu-agrees-directive-that-will-force-apple-to-change-iphone-charging-port-12629393

 

The European Union has reached a provisional agreement that will effectively force Apple to change the charging port used by its smaller electronics.

 

Last year the European Commission published an 18-page directive which would require electronic devices to all use the same type of USB-C charging port.

 

According to the EU, the move will reduce electronics clutter and waste because consumers will no longer need a different charging cable every time they purchase a new device.

 

Apple has not responded to the decision and a spokesperson did not tell Sky News whether consumers in the UK and beyond would affected.

 

However its iPhone and AirPod devices - alongside several others - currently use Apple's own bespoke "Lightning" ports to connect and charge, and will under the new rules need to be redesigned by autumn 2024 or would not be lawful to sell within the EU.

 

Analysts have suggested that Apple may move all of its devices to USB-C, rather than simply sell different versions in the EU.

 

A previous attempt to introduce a common charging port across the bloc was launched in 2018, but failed.

 

The company warned that forcing it to adopt a universal charger would "stifle innovation" as well create "an unprecedented volume of electronic waste" and inconvenience millions of people.

 

Old chargers generate an estimated 51,000 tonnes of electronic waste per year and the EU believes a "one size fits all" approach would make customers' lives easier and help the environment.

 

"Mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers that are rechargeable via a wired cable will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port, regardless of their manufacturer," the European Parliament statement said.

 

[slugshead]

Hopefully the UK enforces this too.

[elsiegee40]

Hopefully the UK enforces this too.

 

The UK won’t get any choice. If phones have to be produced like this for the EU then we’ll be supplied with the same. They’re not going to make them differently for a tiny country like us.

[tmoon-mint]

It will be interesting to see the reaction if they do switch to USB C. I remember the uproar that came when Apple switched from the 30 pin connector to Lightning with the iPhone 4!

[free780]

I never understood why micro USB wasn't the standard. Granted the grips become lose after a while.

[XiJ]

I wonder if apple will drop a physical port altogether before the deadline.

[Arthur]

I wonder if apple will drop a physical port altogether before the deadline.

Next year's iPhone 15 is meant to be switching to USB-C according to rumours from last month.

 

Kuo: iPhone 15 to Switch From Lightning to USB-C in 2023

 

Apple will ditch its proprietary Lightning port and switch to USB-C on all or possibly some models of the iPhone 15 lineup destined to launch in the second half of 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today.

 

Since the iPhone 5, Apple has kept the Lightning port on the iPhone, despite much of the industry moving to USB-C. In a tweet today, Kuo said that the latest supply chain survey indicates that Apple will ditch Lightning in favor of USB-C in 2023. Kuo noted that USB-C would improve transfer speeds on the iPhone and improve charging speeds.

 

Kuo had previously said that Apple would be sticking with Lightning on the iPhone for the "foreseeable future," saying that switching to USB-C would be harmful to Apple's MiFi business and has lesser waterproof specification. Now, Apple has reportedly changed its tone. One possible reason for Apple's change in heart is pressure being placed upon it by the EU.

[XiJ]

Yep and we’ve already seen some iPads move to USB-C. But they are larger and you don’t tend to take them swimming [emoji3].

 

I think a wireless charging only iPhone is a way off yet tho.

[Arthur]

Knowing what Apple is like we'll probably get a new Lightning II port that uses the USB-C connector.

 

With a regular USB-C cable you'll get ~15w charging, but if you buy an Apple-approved Lightning II USB-C cable you will get 35w (or more).

 

This will keep the EU happy and also enable Apple to continue charging accessory manufacturers via their MFi program.

[Wubbalubbadub]

This is way overdue..

 

That being said.. I think Apple using the lightning port forced others to actually innovate.. so I reckon it was a necessary evil.

 

I can't see any technical reason why everyone shouldn't be using USB-C now though. Although I'd be interesting to know if the lightning ports do offer anything a USB-C doesn't if anyone knows?

[tmoon-mint]

No reason at all. In fact lightning still runs at USB 2.0 speeds so like you said waaaaaay overdue.

[paulkerton]

It's about time. Apple of course will fight for a while, but it's inevitable.

[DalekSec]

No reason at all. In fact lightning still runs at USB 2.0 speeds so like you said waaaaaay overdue.

 

True but how often do you actually use it to deliver data?

 

Never had a lighting port break on me, had quite a few USB-C ones!

[paulkerton]

Never had a lighting port break on me, had quite a few USB-C ones!

In turn I've never had a USB-C port break on me, but I have had several Lightning ones do so.

And as for the Lightning cables, the less said about those the better, frankly!

[Rob_D]

The UK won’t get any choice. If phones have to be produced like this for the EU then we’ll be supplied with the same. They’re not going to make them differently for a tiny country like us.

But the US, Russia, China, etc is a big enough market to potentially split manufacturing. There's no reason UK couldn't side RtoW rather than the EU. Or I suppose roll with the EU until USB5.0 uses a triangular connector, leaving the EU stuck with the older type until the newer standard can get through legislation (which one assumes won't be a quick process). This is very much a situation where the UK's positioning could allow them to eat their cake and have it.

 

Does anyone know if the legislation is just for the physical connector or the connector and the connection standard? Because there are already about three different connection standards that use USB-C connectors, and I'm sure given half the chance apple will still have a bespoke pin-out or connection standard for their "TYPE-C connectors". And while getting everyone on the same port would be nice, it would be even better if we could unify the connection standards/features as well.

[2ilent8cho]

So now I'm going to have a load redundant lightning cables over the next few years. So does this mean nobody can ever advance now and create better ports that are used for charging? Because if USB-D is say made how would you be able to put it on a phone? As the EU say it has to have USB-C for charging, no if's no but's . If the EU then said USB-D is fine, you then end up back where you are now, with 2 common charging ports.

 

Considering Apple were very involved in the making of the USB-C standard, went all in on USB-C with their MacBooks 7 years ago and some of their iPads have USB-C we know they are not anti USB-C, in fact the opposite. I think this is another case of the EU sticking their nose in where it is not wanted.

 

 

I think this will stifle innovation. Apple had to invent the 30 Pin connector because USB at the time was too slow, remember the first iPod used Firewire because USB was just not up to it. 10 years ago Apple could have used MicroUSB instead of Lightning but Lightning is a better port and can be plugged in to the port in either direction. I'm also guessing some protocol compatibility too with speaker systems, cars and docks made them make lighting instead of using MicroUSB.

[paulkerton]

Apple had to invent the 30 Pin connector because USB at the time was too slow.

I don't know where you heard that, but that is completely untrue.

 

So now I'm going to have a load redundant lightning cables over the next few years. So does this mean nobody can ever advance now and create better ports that are used for charging? Because if USB-D is say made how would you be able to put it on a phone? As the EU say it has to have USB-C for charging, no if's no but's . If the EU then said USB-D is fine, you then end up back where you are now, with 2 common charging ports.

Legislation can be changed. Progress is made. The point is that currently you have no standardisation. Standardising it will reduce the amount of waste. Long term, once a new USB connector is needed, then they can look at that and change the legislation, can't they?

 

What you have at the moment is Apple using proprietary ports in order to leverage licensing requirements. Standardising stops that. Thankfully.

Edited June 8, 2022 by paulkerton

[hardtailstar]

Don't Apple ship new phones without chargers?

 

So there's no waste that way?

 

Maybe if others followed then there would be less waste too.

 

I'm an Android user and have about 4-5 USB-C chargers. My first USB-C charger still works.

[paulkerton]

Maybe if others followed then there would be less waste too.

...They do?

Xiaomi, Google and Samsung are three for example.

[DalekSec]

Never seen so many people worked up over a charging port before!

 

Both do the job, both have pros and cons! I'm happy with the lightening cable, only thing that will annoy me if they do change is having to buy more cables to replace my existing lightning ones dotted around the gaffe!

 

Also what will happen when the USB-C replacement comes along, how will they allow those onto new phones (Could be fully wireless by then i suppose but that would just be the high end phones)

 

Just let apple use their existing one and everyone else can use USB-C as its common place anyway, dont see the big deal!

[jthompson]

It's not as if USB type-C's successor is going to take the industry by surprise at all. No doubt if one were to emege, such legislation could/will accomodate it easily enough. Apple's cables have always seemed very thin, short and fragile in my [limited] experience, so maybe allowing Apple users to make use of less sexy but more robust charging cables will save on quite a bit of e-waste in itself.

 

I wonder what proportion of the e-waste avoided by this measure will actually be down to the EU/UK mains plug adaptations that sometimes get shipped with every device.

[Andrew_C]

UNIVERSAL serial bus - gods; if only it was...

[elsiegee40]

So now I'm going to have a load redundant lightning cables over the next few years.

 

Nah! They’ll fall apart

[hardtailstar]

...They do?

Xiaomi, Google and Samsung are three for example.

My pixel 5 came with a USBC charger.

 

Didn't know the Pixel 6 didn't ship with a charger...