The European Parliament on Tuesday decisively approved requiring a universal charger standard for all mobile devices sold in the bloc by the end of 2024, forcing Apple to transition to USB-C chargers for its next iPhones.
According to a press release from the EU, the law was approved with a 602-13 vote.
By the end of 2024 and by the spring of 2026, all mobile devices, tablets, and cameras sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging connector.
EU consumers will soon be able to use a single charging solution for their electronic devices after Parliament adopted plans for this today. Press release: https://t.co/GHSQrWvJG1 pic.twitter.com/ncZv0Uinip
— European Parliament (@Europarl_EN) October 4, 2022
As a result, according to the European Union, users will only need to carry a single charger for all of their gadgets, which will cut down on e-waste. Nearly all Android smartphones now on the market, along with Apple’s iPads and Macbooks, employ USB Type-C charging connections.
Before becoming legislation, the EU Council must now approve the regulations; however, this approval is only likely to be a formality.
What We Don’t Know
It is not specified in the news release which standard will be used to standardize fast charging across all devices that support it. At the moment, chipmakers like Qualcomm and smartphone manufacturers like Xiaomi have established their own exclusive standards for fast charging across a variety of devices. The most likely contender for the EU’s standardization mandate is currently USB-PD (Power Delivery), which is utilized by companies like Apple, Google, Samsung, and others. It is also the most interoperable standard currently in use.
What To Watch For
Wireless charging regulations. Common standards for wireless charging may also need to be enforced in light of rumors that Apple may be considering creating an entirely “portless” iPhone in the future. According to the press release, by the end of 2024, the European Commission will “harmonize interoperability criteria” for wireless charging. This shouldn’t be challenging as the interoperable Qi charging standard is used by almost all devices that support wireless charging, including Apple’s iPhones.
Big Numbers
11 thousand tonnes. That much electronic trash is produced each year in the EU as a result of chargers that are thrown away or left unused.
Chief Critic
Apple has been the most outspoken opponent of this proposal by the EU because its iPhones and other portable gadgets use the exclusive Lighting connector. The business earlier issued a statement in which it feared that “tight legislation mandating only one type of connector stifles innovation rather than fostering it, which in turn would affect customers in Europe and around the world.” Apple’s iPads and MacBooks have been utilizing USB-C charges for a while now despite these worries.
Keep following our site nogmagazine.com for further updates. Also, check our Technology section for the latest updates.