Pressure on Apple to replace the Lightning port

 Legislation requiring USB-C charging on a number of consumer electronics is being implemented by the European Union. The deal reached between the EU Council and the EU Parliament was formally adopted today. The accord must subsequently get formal approval from the EU Council before being published in the EU's Official Journal.

The notification from the Parliament verified a schedule and other affected device categories. The law mandates a USB-C port on all devices that are sold in the EU, use wired charging, and support power delivery of up to 100 W "by the end of 2024," including phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, earbuds, portable speakers, handheld video game consoles, e-readers, keyboards, mice, and navigation systems.

The release stated that USB-C charging will be required "from spring 2026" for laptops.

The law also mandates that all fast-charging devices operate at the same charging rate. With "special labeling" explaining charging capabilities, this regulation will be upheld.

Following the rule's publication, EU member states have two years to transpose the regulations before they must abide by them. Only goods released after this date are covered by the statute.According to the government, there were 602 yes votes, 13 no votes, and 8 abstentions in the vote.

Some opponents, including Apple, said that the EU's plan to mandate USB-C charging starting in September 2021 could stifle innovation. Should it judge the technology worthy, the European Commission has stated that it would cooperate with suppliers to adapt its rules to new technologies. One day, the EU's universal charging mandate may call for something other than USB-C charging, for instance.

While not mentioning how the EU government would try to control it, the announcement from the EU Parliament did demonstrate some forward-thinking.

According to the declaration from the Parliament, "the European Commission will have to harmonize interoperability rules by the end of 2024, to prevent having a harmful impact on consumers and the environment.The so-called technological "lock-in" effect, in which a consumer gets reliant on a single producer, will also be eliminated by this.

The EU government's objectives to lessen e-waste and "empower consumers to make more sustainable choices" with the USB-C mandate were repeated in the announcement by the Parliament.According to the ruling body, the law will "lead to more re-use of chargers and will help consumers save up to 250 million euros a year on unnecessary charger purchases."According to the release, "disposable and underused chargers account for around 11,000 tonnes of e-waste annually (PDF) in the EU."

Other regions of the world have begun to examine how they control the charging of electronics, following the EU's example. Brazil is debating a USB-C rule for phones and has prohibited the sale of iPhones without a charger while urging Apple to switch to USB-C technology. A universal charging proposal has also been supported by US legislators.