Apple have finally been given a deadline to change all of their lightening charging ports to USB-C.
The tech giant is being forced by the EU Parliament to switch their iPhone models – that currently use lightening ports – to use USB-C charging ports.
In fact, they want all of their portable devices, including tablets and laptops, to use USB-C in Europe.
Thankfully for Apple, their MacBooks and new iPad range already use USB-C, so it’s just the iPhones that will need changing.
However, Apple executive Greg Joswiak sounded reluctant to follow the new laws as earlier this year, he said that the company had ‘no choice’ but to follow EU regulation.
“Obviously we’ll have to comply, we have no choice,” he said at a technology conference in California.
The EU parliament say they want to reduce ‘hassle for consumers,’ as well as ‘curbing e-waste’.
Well, it seems that a date has now been set for all portable devices to comply with the new ruling.
For Apple, they have until 28 December 2024 to switch to USB-C.
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) also have a lightning port for charging, so you’d expect them to get changed over too.
Laptops have been given an extended deadline of 28 April 2026, however, as mentioned, this won’t be a problem for Apple.
When it comes to Apple watches, which are already charged via a wireless cable, this also isn’t an issue.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Joswiak said: “Governments get to do what they do and obviously we’ll have to comply.
“We have no choice. What are you going to do with these cables over time if they’re no longer useful – billions of them.
“For years and years, mobile phones had to satisfy hearing aid compatibility spec, very prescriptively described by the regulation that said here’s what you have to do to be compatible with hearing aides.
“The problem is it didn’t work – but all of us had to do it.”
The EU Parliament and Council have argued: “USB Type-C is a technology that is already common to many categories or classes of radio equipment as it provides high-quality charging and data transfer.
“The USB Type-C charging receptacle, when combined with the USB Power Delivery charging communication protocol, is capable of providing up to 100 Watts of power and therefore leaves ample room for further development of fast charging solutions, while also allowing the market to cater for low-end devices that do not need fast charging.”
