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Kkspire

macrumors regular
May 19, 2016
225
708
I think apples move to USB has been right on target. Almost all of their devices are usb c now, so more people have them. The move to usb c on iPhone will still be hard for many but will be much easier and I think you’ll see it next year.
 

PJWilkin

macrumors 6502
Jun 24, 2010
265
761
So when the USB consortium come up with an even better standard/port, this EU law will stop it being implemented on mobile devices

the EU tried to standardise on micro-usb before
if they’d have succeeded this conver around USB-C would have been moot
we’d all have the crap micro-usb on out devices
 

adamlbiscuit

macrumors 6502a
Sep 22, 2008
579
1,301
South Yorkshire, UK
Even more crazy - your 2021 computer and 1970 refrigerator can use the same wall outlet!
We're not talking about wall outlets though are we? We're talking about a connection that is proprietary and keeping it around is making less and less sense as the years go by. Especially considering even Apple's own devices have moved over to USB-C for the most part except from their flagship.

Don't forget that although it's main use is charging, the port is also used for file transfers i.e. Syncing files to a computer. We might not do that much anymore, but there are people out there who will, especially video editors (one of the target demographics the iPhone Pro line is aimed at). Making an iPhone capable of shooting 4k ProRes is great but when you've got a port that stifles transfer speeds such as Lightning it does make you think.
 
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NightFox

macrumors 68040
May 10, 2005
3,245
4,506
Shropshire, UK
For people in the states I’ll tell you this, the EU has no power so don’t worry, in the U.K. we left them; they can’t force apple to do anything
Well, they can't force them, but they can prevent them trading in the EU if they choose not to comply. Apple has previously complied with EU requirements to stay in the market, why wouldn't it this time?
 

69Mustang

macrumors 604
Jan 7, 2014
7,895
15,044
In between a rock and a hard place
Lightning connector is a superior user experience though. Apple should just make a new version of lightning that is USB 4 compliant
No it's not a superior user experience. It's charging. No need to pretend it's anything more than what it is. Neither requires specific orientation to be used so the experience is virtually the same.
 

sfwalter

macrumors 68020
Jan 6, 2004
2,247
2,070
Dallas Texas
I wish Apple would move to USB-c, but I'm not for a government agency dictating product design. Sure set some standards such as reduce e-waste, reduce product weight, etc. However, let the manufacturer figure the solution to meet the requirements.

At a minimum, Apple could include a dongle. This would satisfy the EU hopefully and all the iPhone users who currently have lighting accessories. Apple could then slowly move to USB-C in a few years.
 

one more

macrumors 601
Aug 6, 2015
4,562
5,744
Earth
I agree and using a single USB-C port for an iPhone, iPad and MacBook would be great. Apple will have to comply if this becomes a reality as the EU is too lucrative of a market for them to lose. However, knowing Apple, they might just include another small USB-C dongle with their iPhones sold in the EU and consider it done.

A funny by-fact showing you that Apple do care about Europe: in France phone manufacturers are required by law to sell phones with earphones/earpieces, so iPhones sold in France still include them, whereas iPhones sold in neighbouring Switzerland do not.
 

Jim Lahey

macrumors 68030
Apr 8, 2014
2,643
5,422
I’m against meddling EU over-legislation but it really is time Apple did this. In 2016 they were extolling the virtues of USB-C and building computers with no other port types. Five years later they still refuse to add it to iPhone. At this
point in time iPhone has become the black sheep and unnecessarily complicates charging and data connection duties in or out of the home. Sort it out you muppets.
 

wschutz

macrumors 6502
Jun 5, 2007
295
106
Thank you for the tens of thousands metric tons of fresh e-waste, EU.
Uh?
What do you think it is best? Allow a corporate to continue polluting the environment with more cables and adapters that work ONLY with their products or require such corporate (and any other) to use a standard that works for everything and can do absolutely everything that those custom cables and adapters?

You should actually thank the EU for this. Yet another directive that will improve the lives of EU citizens, the economy (the money spent on absurd cables and adapters can be better used to consume other more useful products) and the recycling and processing of waste in the EU.
And for free, the rest of the planet will probably get the same because this is one of those directives that will likely apply globally in practice, just like GDPR.


Why so authoritarian, EU? It's like you want to be up in everyone's business... let the market decide.

USB-Crybabies go home.
I think you are getting it wrong.

The EU is legislating for the EU consumers, to protect them and to care for them.
If there was no legislation, we would be ruled by corporate and stock market because the goals of companies is to make as much money as possible with the lowest possible cost. Legislation is there to put limits that the citizens have demanded.
 

mrochester

macrumors 601
Feb 8, 2009
4,642
2,560
There seems to be an expectation in the legislation that consumers are going to use a single charging brick and cable to charge ALL of their devices. The reality, for me at least, is very different. I’ll need a charging brick and cable for my iPhone, a separate charging brick and cable for my Apple watch, another charging brick and cable for my iPad and another charging brick and cable for my MBP.

What exactly have we saved in this scenario?
 

kerr

macrumors 6502a
Jul 12, 2010
845
1,556
Australia
A European Commission impact assessment study conducted in 2019 found that half of all charging cables sold with mobile phones had a USB micro-B connector, 29 percent had a USB-C connector, and 21 percent had a Lightning connector.
Maybe they should first focus on getting rid of the stupid micro USB connectors first, worry about Apple later.
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Feb 23, 2009
4,233
1,382
Brazil
I am against this European approach of "forcing" companies into commercial practices and interfering with their businesses. Companies should be free to choose how to conduct their businesses.

it would be great if Apple just adopted USB-C for the iPhone and the iPad, and I think it will eventually go that route. But forcing Apple to do it is a bad idea as it loosens freedom and the lassez-faire.
 

NewUsername

macrumors 6502a
Aug 20, 2019
581
1,273
It would be a good thing for Apple to switch to USB-C. But… I hope this doesn’t become another SCART, which was a French standard still present on every TV and DVD player etc. long after it was superseded by HDMI.

My question is: if Apple wants to drop the port entirely and switch to MagSafe charging (similar to the Apple Watch), would that still be possible? Or would it have to have this USB-C port?
 
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calstanford

Suspended
Nov 25, 2014
1,419
4,306
Hong Kong
This is exactly the type of **** the EU is hated for by many (not by most, I know).

I actually think USB-C >>> Lightning and hate Apple doesn't bother unifying their charging cable standards. But this is Apple's ****up to sort out. It does not belong to the EU. What's next? They require black phones instead of 'space' grey?
Pathetic
 

youdontsay

macrumors regular
Jul 7, 2013
127
182
This is great news! And while I understand the concerns, let's break down some of them:

• Why is the EU forcing companies to do it? It's not like companies haven't had time to adapt! They could've worked together like they said they would in 2009 and come up with a one size-fits-all port. They didn't and now they cry because they will be forced to.

• It will prevent innovation… It's not like apple creates a breakthrough port every year. They are using USB-C everywhere else. Does that mean that all their iPad is less innovating than the iPhone?

• What about wireless charging? Well they can go down that path if they want.
The proposals only covers devices using wired, not wireless, chargers, EU commissioner Thierry Breton said in a press conference, adding that “there is plenty of room for innovation on wireless.”

• What if someone comes up with a better solution? Good news, laws can be updated. And I'm sure if all device makers sit in a room and come up with something better, they could go see the EU and ask to make the new one mandatory. That is, if it's not changing every year of course. So it would need to be true innovation, not an excuse to make money.

• it will create more waste. Probably yes in the short term, but surely not in the long term, it will significantly reduce waste. The more we wait to have a standard the more waste we generate.
 

twintin

macrumors 6502a
Aug 10, 2012
754
286
Sweden
So what exactly does this mean ? We are stuck with whatever limitations usb-c has ? No one is allowed to introduce say an usb-d with improvements or do we have to wait for EU approval of each new improved connector type (why would anyone even bother tp try to innovate/improve a connector) ?

And how about these wall outlets that seem to be different even within EU ? Why not regulate them too so I don't have to carry different adapters or cables when travelling ?

While it may be a novell idea, I think it is poorly implemented.
 
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bradman83

macrumors 6502a
Oct 29, 2020
994
2,471
Buffalo, NY
There seems to be an expectation in the legislation that consumers are going to use a single charging brick and cable to charge ALL of their devices. The reality, for me at least, is very different. I’ll need a charging brick and cable for my iPhone, a separate charging brick and cable for my Apple watch, another charging brick and cable for my iPad and another charging brick and cable for my MBP.

What exactly have we saved in this scenario?
No one’s saying you‘d only need one cable, just one TYPE of cable. I for one find it very convenient that I can charge my iPad, MacBook Pro, camera, and wireless keyboard using the same port. I need fewer cables, not just one.
 

Kebabselector

macrumors 68030
May 25, 2007
2,988
1,638
Birmingham, UK
For people in the states I’ll tell you this, the EU has no power so don’t worry, in the U.K. we left them; they can’t force apple to do anything
I think you'll find the EU can change things and we'll probably just get the same device as EU members as there's little point producing different spec phone for the same region.
 
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