Apple has confirmed that it will equip future iPhones in the European Union with a USB-C port to comply with a new EU regulation that all phones sold in its countries must use a USB-C charger.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing Greg Joswiak said the company “will have to comply” with the new mandate, but made it clear that it will do so because it “has no choice” in the matter. . He also claimed that charging cubes have largely solved this problem, adding that users who throw away their original Lightning cables will end up with a lot of waste when devices are passed on.
“Governments, you know, have to do what they’re going to do. Of course we will have to comply. We have no other choice as we do it all over the world to comply with local laws,” says Joswiak. “But, you know, we think this approach would be better for the environment and for our customers if the government wasn’t so prescriptive.”
The new EU law aims to have electronic devices all using USB-C ports by 2024. The goal is to enable multi-device people to reliably charge phones, tablets, handheld game consoles like the Switch, and other chargeable technology using universal ports and cables. instead of having to use several different brands. Apple phones have primarily used Lightning cables since their launch in 2012.
The iPhone 14 launched last month, and IGN called the Pro version “one of the most substantial improvements” the line of phones has received in years.
iPhones will get USB-C charging after Apple
Apple will have to follow a European Union law that mandates a common charging standard for electronic devices – known as USB-C – the company’s marketing chief has confirmed.
“Obviously we’re going to have to comply,” Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, told The Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live conference on Tuesday.
On Monday, ministers from EU member states finally approved the law on a common charger, which means that by 2024 electronic devices, including mobile phones and tablets, will have to support USB-C charging.
The European Council’s stamp of approval comes after other EU legislatures voted in favor of the law, which has been around 10 years in the making.
The Apple iPhone uses its own Lightning charger. According to the upcoming EU law, the iPhone should support USB-C.
Joswiak didn’t say when Apple will introduce USB-C to its flagship smartphone, but it should happen by 2024.
Analysts previously told CNBC that iPhones due to launch in 2023 could feature USB-C charging, and that Apple is likely to introduce the standard globally, not just in the European Union.
EU lawmakers say the rules will reduce waste because consumers won’t have to buy a new charger every time they buy a device. The EU said it would reduce the production and disposal of new chargers.
Joswiak approached the EU about the tolling law, admitting that the two sides “didn’t agree a bit”.
“We think this approach would be better for the environment and for our customers if the government wasn’t so prescriptive,” he said.