In January 2020, members of the European Parliament voted to establish a universal charging connection for smartphones sold in the EU. Since then, we’ve been waiting for this effort to be passed into law, and as of this morning, it’s one step closer. The European Commission has now put forward legislation that would establish USB-C as a common charger for mobile devices, finally requiring a universal standard no matter the smartphone.
The EU’s reasoning behind this potential requirement comes down to two elements: e-waste and convenience. Tech products overflowing in landfills is a serious problem, and reducing the number of cords needed by an average consumer could help make a dent in it. It would also decouple chargers from being included with every new smartphone, a move already made by manufacturers like Samsung and Google. In a practical sense, this law could simplify how EU residents charge their devices. The days of your iPhone-carrying friend digging through a closet to find a compatible cable for your Galaxy S21 might finally be over.
Of course, that brings us to the elephant in the room. Most smartphone manufacturers have already switched to USB-C, with the iPhone more or less standing as the last holdout. That leaves Apple as the sole major company possibly affected by this legislation. If this bill is signed into law, Apple would have 24 months to switch to USB-C on its devices. Considering MacBooks and most iPads currently charge via USB-C, it’s a change that shouldn’t be too difficult.
However, even if this legislation goes into effect, Apple may still avoid transitioning to USB-C on its smartphone lineup. A port-less iPhone has been rumored for years now, the natural next step after removing the headphone jack in 2016. A spokesperson for the EU confirmed to The Verge that a USB-C port would only be required for devices that charge with a cable. If Apple produced an iPhone 14 (or 15, or 16) without a port, it wouldn’t fall under these rules.
For its part, Apple issued the following statement to Reuters on this morning’s news:
“We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world.”
These regulations wouldn’t change much for most Android users. Companies are already leaving chargers out of the box, and USB-C is available on basically every well-known device. Outside of Apple’s lineup, we’ve more or less reached a world that matches the goals of the EU. The proposed legislation does cover a universal standard for fast charging, though — a nice consolidation prize for when Apple manages to squeeze its way out of upgrading its phones to USB-C yet again.
