According to Greg Joswiak, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple, the business will follow by a European Union regulation requiring USB-C charging on all mobile devices.
The remarks made at The Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live event seem to confirm that upcoming iPhones would ditch Apple’s exclusive Lightning connector in favor of USB-C.
Joswiak said when asked about the EU law; “Obviously we’ll have to comply, We have no choice as we do around around the world to comply to local laws.”
With the release of the iPhone 5 in 2012, Apple replaced the traditional 30-pin dock connector used by earlier smartphone models with the more modern Lightning connector.
Apple’s Craig Federighi and Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) join @JoannaStern at #WSJTechLive to discuss products, privacy and power at the tech giant https://t.co/fNo2JGwMB4 https://t.co/aGrTlZrUo4
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) October 26, 2022
Apple is switching to USB-C, why?
A regulation mandating a standard charging cord for all cellphones and mobile gadgets, including laptops and wireless headphones, was approved by the European Parliament earlier this month.
By 2024, all mobile phones, tablets, and cameras offered for sale in EU nations must include a USB-C charging port; laptops have until 2026.
Why is the EU requiring this?
According to the EU, the new law will prevent consumers from having to shell out cash for a variety of charging cords in order to keep their mobile devices powered. The restrictions, according to officials, would help reduce electronic waste from outdated chargers and stop consumers from being forced to buy just from a certain manufacturer due to a proprietary charging standard.
What about the United States ?
Lawmakers encouraged the U.S. Commerce Department to create a global standard for mobile device charging in June that would be similar to the EU regulation.
Legislators are advocating for a common standard because of consumer spending on numerous charges for diverse products and technological trash.
What is Apple’s opinion?
With regard to the switch to USB-C, Apple has been one of the biggest opponents, especially for the iPhone. The business has already expressed fear that the regulations will stifle innovation and harm consumers.
What does this imply for upcoming iPhone models?
Just like the 30-pin connector before it, those Lightning cables might soon become unusable in the United States. Although Apple has not provided a release date for USB-C on iPhones, it is expected that the technology will be supported in the company’s upcoming smartphones. According to a May Bloomberg article, Apple is already testing iPhones that enable USB-C.
A number of Apple products, including various MacBook models and recent iPad models, enable USB-C charging.
