Apple will be forced to switch to USB-C charging on iPhones from 2024.
The European Union has passed legislation that would require all smartphone and tablet manufacturers to introduce a common charging port. The EU says that the main aim of the legislation is to prevent electrical waste, with consumers binning millions of phone chargers and cables every year when they get a new one. An added benefit is security and convenience – being able to charge any device from one charger will benefit everyone.
The EU has confirmed that USB-C will serve as the new standard. Most premium Android smartphones already use USB-C, and Apple already offers USB-C charging on iPad Pro and iPad Air models, as well as on its MacBooks. The controversial policy has even been supported by those in the US and in India, prompting a change of heart at Apple.
Apple would only be required to make the change in the European Union, but it appears as though the firm has already been planning to switch in the coming year. It had previously been suggested that Apple would remove the port entirely, offering a port-free iPhone, but Ming-Chi Kuo later suggested a USB-C model would indeed be coming.
The legislation will also be passed onto laptops in the coming years, but Apple already offers USB-C charging ports on its MacBooks, as well as its proprietary MagSafe charger.
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