European lawmakers are going to meet on June 7 as they look to finalize an agreement to enforce a single universal charging port law, which would see all mobile devices sold in the EU be required to offer USB-C ports for charging.
This idea has been circling in the minds of EU regulators for almost a decade, citing environmental e-waste benefits. The plans have previously drawn strong pushback from Apple, who intimated it would stifle innovation.
The universal charging port law applies to smartphones, tablets and headphones. Devices that only charge wirelessly are exempt, such as an Apple Watch.
Details such as exactly when the requirements would come into effect will be discussed at the June 7 meeting. It is also possible that some aspects of the law are diminished in order to get it passed.
Apple has previously opposed the plans, pointing out that forcing it to abandon Lightning port would inconvenience consumers and cause electronic waste because iPhone customers will need to replace all of their existing Lightning accessories.
However, in recent months, rumors suggest that Apple may be forging ahead with its own plans to drop Lightning anyway. Both Bloomberg and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have reported that Apple is testing iPhone 15 models with USB-C ports. The iPhone 15 will arrive in the fall of 2023. This year’s iPhone 14 lineup will continue to feature Lightning ports for connectivity and charging.
In addition to the convenience of using the same charging port as the company’s laptops and iPads, a USB-C iPhone will enable Apple to offer faster data sync rates and (possibly) faster charging speeds.
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