The IT Nerd

You 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 already have USB-C, one could plausibly argue that this law is squarely aimed at Apple as they have stuck with Lightning on iPhones even though Lightning is really USB 2.0 with a fancy connector. Which in 2022 is quite sad.

Today, the final steps to bring this law into effect are done and this law is now good to go according to this press release:

The new rules will make a USB-C charging port mandatory for a whole range of electronic devices. This will mean that most devices can be charged using the same charger. For consumers to know exactly what they are buying, the directive introduces a pictogramthat specifies whether a new device comes with a charger and a label indicating the charging performance.

The directive also allows consumers to choose whether to purchase a new device with or without a charger. This will not only save consumers money, but will also reduce the electronic waste associated with the production, transportation and disposal of chargers. Four years after the directive enters into force, the Commission will assess whether this unbundling of sales should be made mandatory.

Although becoming more popular, wireless charging has not yet been harmonised across devices. To enable this technology to become available for more devices, the Commission will work on harmonising wireless charging for electronic devices and on interoperability based on technological developments.

Categories of devices concerned

The new rules will apply to a wide range of portable devices:

• mobile phones
• tablets and e-readers
• digital cameras and video game consoles
• headphones, earbuds and portable loudspeakers
• wireless mice and keyboards
• portable navigation systems

In addition, all laptops will also be covered by the new rules 40 months following the entry into force of the directive.

So from the sounds of it, Apple will need to convert AirPods over to USB-C along with the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad given that all their laptops and tablets already have USB-C. While it’s been rumoured that Apple has been testing USB-C iPhones, they have a lot of work ahead of them. But I for one cannot wait for a USB-C iPhone as Lightning is dead and has been for years. The other thing that I note is this re-ignites the charger in the box debate. Apple led the way on not including chargers in the box of a new phone. But based on this, it sounds like they will have to rethink that.

This entry was posted on October 24, 2022 at 10:35 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Apple, EU. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.