It’s Official…. USB-C On Phones And Other Devices Will Now Be Mandatory In The EU
The EU has been teasing this for some time. But now it’s official. A press release issued by the European Parliament earlier today states the following:
By the end of 2024, all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port. From spring 2026, the obligation will extend to laptops. The new law, adopted by plenary on Tuesday with 602 votes in favour, 13 against and 8 abstentions, is part of a broader EU effort to reduce e-waste and to empower consumers to make more sustainable choices.
Under the new rules, consumers will no longer need a different charger every time they purchase a new device, as they will be able to use one single charger for a whole range of small and medium-sized portable electronic devices.
Regardless of their manufacturer, 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 that are rechargeable via a wired cable, operating with a power delivery of up to 100 Watts, will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port.
All devices that support fast charging will now have the same charging speed, allowing users to charge their devices at the same speed with any compatible charger.
I think it’s a safe bet that Tim Cook and company are not happy about this as they’ve resisted calls from their users to switch from Lightning to USB-C for years. Even though it’s pretty clear that Lightning is dead as well as dead slow. But I for one am very happy about this as it will finally force Apple to join everybody else in 2022 with a USB-C port on their phone. Though I can see a scenario where Apple may either try to fight this, or get rid of all ports on iPhones just to make a point. But I suspect that we’ll see soon enough. Starting with Apple trotting out one of their press minions to comment about how this stops innovation.
October 24, 2022 at 10:35 am
[…] might recall that the European Union recently passed a law requiring devices sold within the union to have USB-C. Since most phones and tablets […]