Apple to put USB-C connectors in iPhones to comply with EU rules - The Guardian

Apple volition ditch the Lightning connector connected its iPhones, the institution has confirmed, aft European regulators decided each smartphones should person USB charging arsenic modular successful 2 years’ time.

New EU rules necessitate each phones sold aft autumn 2024 to usage the USB-C connector for their charging ports. The oval-shaped plugs are already modular connected different user electronics specified arsenic e-readers, games consoles, laptops and the immense bulk of caller Android phones.

Apple has already switched overmuch of its merchandise enactment implicit to the standard, which tin nonstop up to 240W of powerfulness and 40Gbps of information implicit the aforesaid cable. Its archetypal laptop to usage USB-C to complaint was the 12in MacBook successful 2015, portion iPads began switching from the Lightning connector successful 2018.

But the institution had pushed backmost against requirements to power its phones to the standard, saying that “strict regularisation mandating conscionable 1 benignant of connector stifles innovation alternatively than encouraging it, which successful crook volition harm consumers successful Europe and astir the world”.

The oval-shaped USB-C connector is already wide utilized successful different electronics, including overmuch of Apple’s ain merchandise line. Photograph: Jeppe Gustafsson/Rex/Shutterstock

Defenders of the Lightning connector person cited its smaller size, and the immense array of Lightning-based adapters and accessories owned by users astir the world. The request to regenerate those cables could pb to a spike successful e-waste, contempt the stated extremity of the regularisation being to trim discarded electronics.

Now, Apple’s caput of marketing, Greg “Joz” Joswiak, says the institution is conceding defeat. “Obviously we’ll person to comply, we person nary choice,” helium told a exertion league successful California.

But, helium argued, it “would person been amended environmentally and amended for our customers to not person a authorities beryllium that prescriptive”.

Joswiak refused to reply questions connected timing, oregon connected whether the institution would effort to marque USB-C iPhones an EU exclusive. Given the company’s yearly merchandise docket for iPhones, however, it is apt that either the iPhone 15, expected successful September 2023, oregon its follow-up, expected successful September 2024, volition beryllium the archetypal to person the connector. “The Europeans are the ones dictating timing for European customers,” Joswiak added.