EU Orders Apple to Use USB-C Ports on iPhones by 2024

An agreement has been reached between European Union lawmakers on legislation that will mandate all future smartphones sold in the EU, including Apple iPhones, to be equipped with universal USB-C charging parts by the fall 2024.

The Verge reports that EU lawmakers have reached an agreement relating to legislation that would force all future smartphones sold within the EU to be equipped with a USB-C charging port by fall 2024. The rule will apply to other devices such as tablets, digital cameras, headphones, and more. Laptops will be expected to comply with the legislation but have been granted an extended deadline.

(BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

While the legislation has been worked on in various formats for over a decade, an agreement on the scope of the new rule was only reached this week following negotiations between multiple EU bodies.

The European Parliament’s rapporteur Alex Agius Saliba commented in a press release: “Today we have made the common charger a reality in Europe! European consumers were frustrated long with multiple chargers piling up with every new device. Now they will be able to use a single charger for all their portable electronics.”

The move aims to cut down on waste from electronics and make life easier for consumers. Lawmakers are hoping that phones and other devices will not come packaged with a charger in the box as buyers will already own a suitable charger at home. The EU believes that the legislation could save consumers as much as 250 million euros per year on “unnecessary charger purchases” and cut down 11,000 tons of e-waste per year.

This is likely to shake things up at Apple which has stuck with its lightning port for its iPhone devices for many years. Rapporteur Saliba added: “In two years’ time, if Apple wants to sell their products within our internal market they have to abide by our rules, and their device will have to be USB-C.”