EU Moves One Step Closer to Mandating Apple to Switch iPhone, iPad, and AirPods to USB-C

The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly this week in favor of legislation that will force Apple to provide a port for theusb-c in all of its products in Europe.

All new phones, tablets, laptops, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, handheld videogame consoles, and portable speakers in Europe will have a Universal Serial Bus port regardless of the manufacturer under the proposal. Smart watches, health trackers, and some sports equipment can only be granted exemptions if they are too small to offer ausb-C port. This common port would be a world first and impact Apple in particular since it uses the lightning port instead of theusb-c on many of its devices.

The legislation was supported by the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee with 43 votes in favor and two against. According to the press release, the move will make use of different devices more convenient and reduce electronic waste.

The European Parliament wants to see clear information and labelling on new devices about their charging options, as well as whether or not a product includes a charger. They claim that this will help to avoid confusion and make purchasing decisions easier for consumers that own multiple devices. The new iPhone 12 will be the first to not have a charger.

The European Commission should present a strategy for ensuring interoperability between wireless charging solutions by 2026 to prevent waste, ensure user convenience, and avoid consumers getting locked into proprietary charging solutions. Since it is based on the wireless charging standard, it is not clear if this would include the MagSafe charging system.

The European Commission tried to reach a final resolution on the issue, but it failed to become law. Apple warned that forcing consumers to switch to new cables would stifle innovation and create electronic waste, as they were forced to use a common charging port. The European Commission spearheaded a refreshed version of the directive last year. The draft legislation must be approved by the European Parliament next month before the final directive can be discussed with individual EU member states.