Apple given deadline for swapping iPhone lightning port for USB-C

Apple has been fixed an authoritative deadline to swap the lightning charging larboard connected caller iPhones to USB-C.

The institution has reluctantly confirmed it volition comply with the EU directive, which volition necessitate each smartphones, tablets, cameras, and different tiny devices to follow the aforesaid standard.

While the bloc said the determination would trim e-waste and beryllium pro-consumer, Apple argued it would stifle innovation.

The tech giant's handsets athletics proprietary lightning ports, with lone immoderate models of the iPad featuring the USB-C jacks favoured by Android phones and galore different devices, including games consoles and headphones.

A erstwhile effort to present a communal charging larboard crossed the EU failed backmost successful 2018, but a provisional statement was reached earlier this year and was voted done by the European Parliament successful October.

The authoritative rules connected USB-C person present been published by the European Commission, mounting an astir two-year deadline of 28 December 2024 for each portable devices to comply.

Laptops person been fixed longer to get up to speed, with an enforcement day of 28 April 2026, portion devices that complaint exclusively wirelessly - similar the Apple Watch - are exempt.

What does the EU's directive say?

In documents published this week, the EU says it was committed to expanding "interoperability" betwixt devices.

In practice, that means radical should not person to interest astir reaching for a knotted messiness of assorted cables astatine the bottommost of a container oregon backmost of a drawer erstwhile they privation to complaint something.

The documents accidental the determination volition besides "reduce unnecessary discarded and costs", thing Apple has claimed it has attempted to bash successful caller years by removing packed-in charging adapters from caller iPhones altogether.

Apple enforcement Greg Joswiak has claimed that it "would person been amended environmentally and amended for our customers to not person a authorities beryllium that prescriptive".

When volition we spot our archetypal USB-C iPhone?

If Apple sticks to its accustomed yearly naming pattern, USB-C volition beryllium connected the iPhone 16 astatine the precise latest.

The institution usually launches its yearly refresh of smartphones successful September.

But reports suggest the power could travel sooner, perchance successful clip for the presumed iPhone 15 adjacent year.

Other products from the company, similar AirPods cases and Mac mice, volition besides person to change.