EU Gives Final Approval to Law That Will Force iPhone to Switch to USB-C

The European Union today gave final approval to legislation that will force technology companies like Apple to switch to USB-C.

The European Council today gave the European Parliament's common charger directive approval and finalized the legislative procedure that will make a USB-C port mandatory across a wide range of consumer electronic devices. The directive will be published in the official journal of the EU. The rules will be in effect 20 days after publication, and will be in effect 24 months later. Products that go on sale before the application is made will be exempt.

Apple is likely to be affected by the world's first legally mandated "common port", which is theUSB-C, since it's widely used on its devices. The move will make use of different devices more convenient.

All new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds and laptops can be charged via a wired cable, with a power delivery of up to 100 Watts, regardless of their manufacturer Smart watches, health trackers, and some sports equipment will be exempt from the legislation if they are too small to have ausb-c port. Companies will have to make sure that the charging characteristics of the devices they sell are clear on the labels.

The EU wants to make sure that wireless charging solutions are compatible. The directive gives the European Commission the power to force companies to make their wireless charging solutions more open and meet interoperability standards in order to help consumers avoid getting locked into proprietary charging solutions. It's not clear if this would include Apple's MagSafe charging system, which is based on the wireless charging standard.

The European Commission tried to reach a final resolution on the issue but it didn't become law. Apple warned that forcing consumers to switch to new cables would stifle innovation and create electronic waste.

A refreshed version of the directive was spearheaded by the European Commission. The directive was supported by the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee with 43 votes in favor and two against. The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of the directive after the EU's Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection agreed to introduce it.

Apple is testing a version of the phone that doesn't have the lightning port, according to two analysts. It's believed that Apple could switch the phone to theusb-c before the AirPods and other accessories are ready. Ahead of the EU directive coming into force, Apple would be able to switch many of its devices tousb-c.

The new Apple TV and the 10th-generation iPad have replaced the Lightning ports on their predecessors for the common port, which seems to indicate that Apple's transition to the common port is already underway.

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