EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

[Lioness~]

Portless would be a wonderful day.
At the same time we have more docks and connectors to our computers.

But they can always have some multi charging cords.
No one can get enough of all these wonderful cords 😅

 

[Paradoxally]

Apple will go portless before they put a USB-C port on an iPhone.

 

[AndiG]

I actually think Apple will react by removing the port altogether and focus improving wireless charging. Does the EU mandate state it has to have a charging port?

Yes it does as long as the device is big enough. If Apple makes the iP15 only 5mm thick, they don't need to.

 

[scrapesleon]

Hopefully Apple removes the charging port

 

[falkon-engine]

Technically Apple’s phones don’t require a new charger with every new device, they support usb-pd. All of this works over lightning to usb-c.

The change will mean we can use one charger and one cable across different devices.

Hopefully, if apple adopts a usb-c port, it also implements faster data speeds such as usb 10 gbps. A mere 0.480 gbps in $1000+ flagship phones in 2022 is a joke, a pittance. Apple should be ashamed of itself.

 

[iamgalt]

I'm interested to see how Apple is going to introduce usb-c on the iPhone now. How are they going to make it sound like their innovative for switching to usb-c, when they are the last ones to make the switch? And how are they going to make it sound like this was their choice, and not the EU's?

 

[Pupi]

Considering Apple tends to keep phones selling for a couple of years, this basically already could already force their hand for 2023, IF phones can't be sold at all without a USB-C port by the deadline, regardless of the fact of them having been developed and introduced long time before that.

But they could just introduce a whole new/refreshed line-up in 2024, dropping then all the Lightning phones (not sure what happens with stock clearence?).

I'm holding out with my 12 Pro until USB-C... rumors about the iPhone 15 (Pro) better be true.

 

[Spooner83]

reduces electronic waste? throwing a lightning cord away wouldn't be electronic waste?

 

[GeoStructural]

Terrible news. This will stifle innovation and competition. For example, it will limit the desire to create connectors that are more efficient, faster, cheaper, easier to use than USB-C.

You seem like those people Android users mock who believe everything Apple says.

This law is a blessing, and it is a shame it is needed for Apple to move forward and abandone their antiquated connector only for financial gain.

 

[Pupi]

I'm interested to see how Apple is going to introduce usb-c on the iPhone now. How are they going to make it sound like their innovative for switching to usb-c, when they are the last ones to make the switch? And how are they going to make it sound like this was their choice, and not the EU's?

They can show a history of USB-C with them being the first company to really push the standard with the MacBooks, then transitioning the iPad over the years, then "finally making it to iPhone". They will not need to respond to snark because their presentation is a completely controlled environment without Q&A. Twitter and such will always have snark regardless (and in the end it won't matter).

 

[I7guy]

[…]. Apple should be ashamed of itself.

100% they are not.

 

[I7guy]

I'm interested to see how Apple is going to introduce usb-c on the iPhone now. How are they going to make it sound like their innovative for switching to usb-c, when they are the last ones to make the switch? And how are they going to make it sound like this was their choice, and not the EU's?

They aren’t going to do that. They’ll cite regulation and won’t discuss much else.

 

[DrV]

Bad wording in their statement. This won't solve a certain set of problems: namely, an 18W USB-C charger won't really help you charge a laptop and a 60W-rated cable won't help you charge something that draws 5 amps (and worse, could become a fire hazard)...

And this will not solve the big problem: USB-A vs. USB-C.

I have very few USB-C wall warts lying around, almost all have USB-A. And even when I look at the ones with USB-C, most are not really USB-C (protocol-wise), and I have devices with a USB-C power supply port which cannot be plugged into a genuine USB-C charger with a USB-C <-> USB-C cable. Not that this would be a big practical challenge, as I only have exactly two USB-C <-> USB-C cables, one of them from my previous MBP.

Our newish car (completely new model introduced in 2021) has four or five USB-A sockets. The slightly older other car has USB-C.

If my iPhone used USB-C, I would still have exactly the same number of cables with me. So, while standardization is good, this does not solve much. Real standard-compliant USB-C power supplies and cables are much more expensive to manufacture than cheap USB-A supplies.

 

[Stuey3D]

I agree with this law now it is USB-C but let’s not forget once upon a time the EU wanted to implement this with micro USB and those cables are garbage.

My concern is with laptops by 2026 how is that going to work with high power draw gaming laptops that need 300-400w of power? Will it be like my Lenovo Legion which has a proprietary 300w power adapter for gaming but also has the ability to take 100w USB-C PD but with far reduced performance, or will they try and force laptops to use a much lower power draw to fit within the USB-C PD spec which all but kills the gaming laptop market, or if certain specialist laptops such as gaming machines or workstations be exempt I wonder?

That said I’m sure USB-C PD has had a recent upgrade to 200w or something like that so by 2026 we may have 400-500w USB-C cables although they would have to be significantly thicker to reduce heating and fire hazard.

 

[chucker23n1]

My concern is with laptops by 2026 how is that going to work with high power draw gaming laptops that need 300-400w of power? Will it be like my Lenovo Legion which has a proprietary 300w power adapter for gaming but also has the ability to take 100w USB-C PD but with far reduced performance, or will they try and force laptops to use a much lower power draw to fit within the USB-C PD spec which all but kills the gaming laptop market, or if certain specialist laptops such as gaming machines or workstations be exempt I wonder?

>100W devices are excluded.

"Regardless of their manufacturer, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds and laptops that are rechargeable via a wired cable, operating with a power delivery of up to 100 Watts, will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port."

 

[chucker23n1]

No one seems to have noticed this includes laptops too, from 2026! So will Apple have to ditch the MagSafe it just brought back?

No.

"Regardless of their manufacturer, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds and laptops that are rechargeable via a wired cable, operating with a power delivery of up to 100 Watts, will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port."

MacBooks with a MagSafe port do also have a USB-C port, and can charge from it.

 

[Stuey3D]

>100W devices are excluded.

"Regardless of their manufacturer, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds and laptops that are rechargeable via a wired cable, operating with a power delivery of up to 100 Watts, will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port."

Ahh that makes a lot of sense, most laptops fall well under this anyway it’s just those with discrete GPU’s that are the power hungry ones.

 

[1557750]

I’m good with Lightning.

Couldn’t care less about usb-c.

👊😁👍

 

[RPhoto]

2024? It means we'll have to stomach Lightning until iPhone 16? Ugh.

Maybe not. A lot of people would probably skip the 15, knowing it has to be in the 16. So it would possibly be in their best interest, sales wise, to switch next year. But then also. Apple 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Aoligei]

Hopefully EU citizens will get charged even more for their USB-C version.

EU citizens love to complain to Apple about how goods are more expensive for them. Well guess what? You voted these politicians in who made the cost of goods higher through taxes and regulations. Don't complain to Apple. Complain to your politicians.

Then EU can investigate Apple on its discriminatory behavior. Simple is that.

And I am Okay with higher price of taxes and regulations means for betterment.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Tim should be ashamed Apple did not switch two USB-C like two years ago.

 

[madeirabhoy]

Yes it does as long as the device is big enough. If Apple makes the iP15 only 5mm thick, they don't need to.

not how i read it.

"Regardless of their manufacturer, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds and laptops that are rechargeable via a wired cable, operating with a power delivery of up to 100 Watts, will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port."

so if its not rechargeable via a wired cable thats fine.

 

[chucker23n1]

Hopefully EU citizens will get charged even more for their USB-C version.

Leaving aside that I don't see them making a EU-specific version, suppose they do: why would a USB-C version be pricier?

EU citizens love to complain to Apple about how goods are more expensive for them. Well guess what? You voted these politicians in who made the cost of goods higher through taxes and regulations. Don't complain to Apple. Complain to your politicians.

I don't agree with this particular legislation, since I don't think this was a prudent problem to regulate. But as for EU politicians? Hell yeah I voted them in, and yes, I'll happily pay higher taxes for a far more consumer-friendly state.

 

[fermat-au]

If Apple are concerned about being forced to ship an iPhone an USB-C in EU they don't have to. The other option would be to stop selling the iPhone in the EU and let Android take 100% share of the EU market 😉

 

[JustSomebody12]

Excellent news. Lets hope Apple go usb-c next year instead of waiting until the last minute.

I think 15 Pro will have type-C, which then will come to the full 16 line-up.