Last week, Brussels imposed USB-C as the single type of charging for all electronic objects sold in the future on the European market. Under this new obligation, all smartphones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU will now have to be equipped with a USB-C charging cable. Thus, by the end of 2024, consumers in European markets will be able to use a single charger for all their mobile devices.
While this is unquestionably good news for consumers, the decision will also force Apple to decide the fate of its Lightning charging cable, which is still used exclusively for a handful of Apple products, the most important of which is the ‘iPhone.
The latest iPad models have ditched the Lightning cable in favor of USB-C, as have the most recent MacBooks, likely in response to speculation that the EU mandate will soon be approved. To stay compliant with new European laws, Apple will have to make similar changes to the iPhone, as well as its Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and AirPods, all of which have a Lightning connector.
Apple complies with Brussels’ demands
But will these changes be universal, or will Apple opt to design a USB-C compliant iPhone specifically for European markets? Jan Stryjak, associate director at Counterpoint Research, speculates that Apple will eradicate the Lightning cable and switch all future iPhone models to USB-C charging. While it’s possible that Apple will retain Lightning ports on future models in the US, it believes that’s unlikely.
“It could continue in the US, since the US is one of Apple’s biggest markets, but I think Apple should probably switch to USB-C entirely; it would simply be too much effort to make two different phones,” the expert believes.
The Apple brand has always refused to switch to USB-C, arguing that a variety of charging systems for consumer electronics devices is good for innovation. This point is debatable, and when you consider that old charging cables account for nearly 11,000 tonnes of electronic waste in Europe each year, switching to a universal charger could be in everyone’s interest.
Of course, if future iPhone models come with USB-C ports, European iPhone users will have to make do with outdated Lightning cables. But this will not be a big problem for consumers. “The only problem is that users who own many Apple products capable of charging with Lightning cables will have to buy new products anyway,” says Jan Stryjak. “But then most other products, like iPads or Macs, for example, will also have USB-C charging. »
Wireless charging, a possibility?
Another possibility is that Apple is getting rid of charging ports altogether: new iPhones could come with wireless-only charging capabilities, Jan Strykag notes, leaving traditional charging a thing of the past. The European Commission is aware of this possibility and will include interoperability requirements for wireless charging in the coming years.
“With the latest iPhone 14, they’ve gone exclusively e-SIM and removed the SIM tray, so you never know. By next year, the iPhone 15 could be exclusively equipped with a wireless charging system,” says Jan Strykag. Brussels adopted its new rules with consumers and the environment in mind. According to the European Commission, the average consumer has three charging cables, compared to 30 10 years ago. All these cables end up in the same place: a landfill.
“It would be logical for Apple to line up,” predicts Jan Stryjak. “Apple is a leading spokesperson for sustainability. With the iPhone 14, they put a lot of emphasis on using recyclable materials and the iPhone take-back program – Apple is still at the forefront of this. So I would be very surprised if Apple didn’t say, “You know what, this is a good thing. We should follow it.” »
Source: ZDNet.com