EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

HACO

HACO

HACO

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EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024

The European Parliament today voted overwhelmingly in favor of enforcing USB-C as a common charging port across a wide range of consumer electronic...
www.macrumors.com www.macrumors.com

EU has finally passed this law.

While the press release itself is misleading, as per the actual directive, this applies to new devices that go on sale after the end of 2024, i.e. any product released before then can continue to be sold until discontinued. The press release makes it seem like this applies retroactively to all existing stock (which caused confusion on reddit/forums). If there are legal challenges, this date can be pushed further into the future.

This means iPhone 15 and 16 series (to be released in 2023 and 2024) can stay on Lightning, but iPhone 17 series will have to be USB-C (if they have a port).
 
So we're really talking 2025 then since the iPhones are released around Q3.
There will be much water under the bridge by then - portless is still my guess.
 
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I'm sure if Apple don't currently have plans to go port-less or USB-C prior to this date they will challenge and appeal the law and it'll go through the usual legal struggle of being years late. Hopefully not though.
 
Throrik said:
I'm sure if Apple don't currently have plans to go port-less or USB-C prior to this date they will challenge and appeal the law and it'll go through the usual legal struggle of being years late. Hopefully not though.
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They will likely challenge it anyway. And Apple won't be the only one. This directive is broad and doesn't have an end date. My expectation is that it would go back and get amended, hopefully it won't get toned down a lot.
 
Bouton Aide said:
A lot will have changed by end of 2024 comes.

There is no way the iPhone will have any ports by end of 2024 - IMO. Same goes with the iPad.

But we shall see.
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Agree. I was hoping the decision would be a lot earlier. I am not waiting on 2024 to deliver me a USB-C phone so I'll hold onto my XS for as long as possible lol.

I've got the damn port on my iPad Pro but they're too stubborn for the iPhone. Flamin Apple.
 
What a stupid law, technology advances and the usb-c maybe not even be the “standard” by then. Hope apple stick with lightening right up to the end then go portless.

Then others will follow suit.
 
Kainz said:
I am not waiting on 2024 to deliver me a USB-C phone
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Even if they go USB-C, the 2024 model won’t have it because it’ll only be for devices made after the end of 2024. The absolute earliest Apple will be forced to have a USB-C port will be the 2025 model.

They may go before then, they may go portless but they don’t have to change until 2025.
 
Reuben klang said:
What a stupid law, technology advances and the usb-c maybe not even be the “standard” by then. Hope apple stick with lightening right up to the end then go portless.

Then others will follow suit.
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It's going to be an interesting situation when USB-IF eventually releases a successor to USB-C and EU regulations force companies to not use it (until EU updates the regulations, which often take years).
 
Going portless rather than adapting to USB-C would be a serious case of cutting off nose to spite face (except its the end users nose in this case) unless there is some more efficient and longer range wireless charging tech waiting in the wings. Current wireless charging is too slow and generates too much heat.
Pretty pathetic that this ruling doesnt kick in next year but thats the EU for you i guess…
 
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HACO said:
It's going to be an interesting situation when USB-IF eventually releases a successor to USB-C and EU regulations force companies to not use it (until EU updates the regulations, which often take years).
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I suspect we'll be looking at least another 20 years for that though - if ever (what additional features can a new port offer). USB A has been around for 20 years and is still being incorporated on devices.

USB4 with a USB C port has just been announced with a transfer rate of 80Gbps. That's insane.

Apple may go the route of abandoning charging by cable completely. I'm not sure the wireless tech is quite there yet. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love the wireless charging on my phone and pretty much every night it just gets placed on the pad for charging. But I know the charging speeds are significantly slower than when plugged in. You also can't really use the device while it's trying to wirelessly charge. So charging by cable still has good uses.
 
Rimsy said:
Going portless rather than adapting to USB-C would be a serious case of cutting off nose to spite face (except its the end users nose in this case) unless there is some more efficient and longer range wireless charging tech waiting in the wings. Current wireless charging is too slow and generates too much heat.
Pretty pathetic that this ruling doesnt kick in next year but thats the EU for you i guess…
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I expect they will go for a Mac-like MagSafe charging system (not the iPhone MagSafe which is a completely different tech) that connects to the side. Although the lines would be blurry as to whether that's a port or not.
 
What if they designed some sort of Smart Connector on the iPhone like on the iPads?
I can't recall the last time I even plugged my iPad in to charge, let alone my phone. My Magic Keyboard is plugged in when at a desk and I just remove the iPad when I need to.
 
GMac11 said:
What if they designed some sort of Smart Connector on the iPhone like on the iPads?
I can't recall the last time I even plugged my iPad in to charge, let alone my phone. My Magic Keyboard is plugged in when at a desk and I just remove the iPad when I need to.
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They could in theory supply a converter. USB-C to Lightning and vice versa then alternitive cables can be used no problem.
 
iPhone lightning connector was the common ‘reversible’ port before usb C was present on phones was it not? Not too bothered but seems a little harsh to force a company to change their product for no reason at all. I mean, the entire world of electronics isn’t going to suddenly adopt USB C universally, is it?
 
dazzlaa said:
iPhone lightning connector was the common ‘reversible’ port before usb C was present on phones was it not? Not too bothered but seems a little harsh to force a company to change their product for no reason at all. I mean, the entire world of electronics isn’t going to suddenly adopt USB C universally, is it?
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Only on iThings as it is an Apple proprietary connector, much like Thunderbolt was.
 
GMac11 said:
What if they designed some sort of Smart Connector on the iPhone like on the iPads?
I can't recall the last time I even plugged my iPad in to charge, let alone my phone. My Magic Keyboard is plugged in when at a desk and I just remove the iPad when I need to.
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Semantics… you’re plugging your ipad into a USB C connector via the keyboard. Remove the keyboard from the equation and how would you charge it? What would be the point in an extra peripheral to charge your phone (other than to make apple more money)?
 
robfosters said:
I don’t think you can have wireless charging only with an iPad. Just too big, unless it’s that futuristic type where it charges anywhere within range of a wireless charger.
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Apple already adopted USB-C on the iPad Pro in 2018, Air in 2020 and Mini in 2021 so doesn't really matter for iPads. They wouldn't drop a charging port on it anyway as you say due to the battery capacity and charging requirements.

I'm on the fence with this, whilst I like the sound of having just USB-C with everything, there are so many variations of it with what PD they can support and rated for etc... But then sure it can stifle innovation as some may come up with a new connector (i.e. Lightning was great when it first came out) that could be faster, easier to produce/cheaper etc.

Then the point there will be millions of cables/plugs going to waste... Bit of an overlooked problem I think.
 
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