Lawmakers in the European Union agreed to pass a law implementing a standard charger for smartphones and tablets, forcing Apple to alter its product design to account for the change.
The European Commission agreed to the text of a law implementing a standard charger, forcing all mobile devices and tablets to be compatible with USB-C ports in 2024. Forcing Apple to standardize its charger, using the port commonly used by most Android devices, will render millions of cables useless but could resolve some user frustrations. It’s unclear whether the company will continue producing devices with the current port for other countries, such as the United States, or if it will choose to streamline its production.
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“Today, we have made the common charger a reality in Europe!” said European Parliament rapporteur Alex Agius Saliba in a press statement. “European consumers were frustrated long with multiple chargers piling up with every new device. Now, they will be able to use a single charger for all their portable electronics.”
The new law comes as part of the amended Radio Equipment Directive, which is part of a broader initiative by European lawmakers to “make products in the EU more sustainable, to reduce electronic waste, and make consumers’ lives easier,” the European Parliament explained.
While Apple products have relied on the Lightning Connector since 2012, it has required Apple product users to get separate accessories to keep their devices running. Soon, all Apple products in Europe will have to use the USB-C port. The law won’t affect the company’s use of the Lightning Port in other countries outside of Europe. However, some experts believe that Apple could change all of its ports to USB-C as early as 2023.
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This simple mechanical change could save the EU about 11,000 tonnes of electronic waste per year, MEP Andrey Kovatchev told AFP. It would also save consumers 250 million euros, according to EU industry chief Thierry Breton. “It will also allow new technologies such as wireless charging to emerge and to mature without letting innovation become a source of market fragmentation and consumer inconvenience,” Breton said.
Representatives from Apple did not respond to requests for comment from the Washington Examiner.
