EU to Propose Legislation for Common Mobile Charger, Could Force Apple to Drop Lightning Connector

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The European Parliament is currently working on a proposal for legislation that would mandate all new mobile devices to be compatible with the same charger. This would mean that every future iPhone, Android, or other mobile device would only be compatible with a single charger port. This is in order to reduce the amount of waste from the amount of different chargers that people have to carry around with them.

Apple is working with the European Union on a new proposal to standardize the charger plugs used for mobile devices, which would also serve to make the charging process much easier. The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, has been investigating the matter for some time, and it is now ready to present its findings.

Apple’s Lightning cable is a convenient way to charge your iPhone, iPad, iPod, MacBook and even the Apple Watch. However, the same isn’t true for Android devices: they can’t be charged with the same cable. While this doesn’t pose a major problem for most owners, it could be a problem for Apple users who travel a lot or have multiple devices.

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The EU stated in 2018 that it was contemplating legislation that would require a standard kind of charging connector for smartphones for a variety of reasons, including convenience and reduced electronic waste. That seems to be occurring now, three years later.

The European Commission will propose legislation next month to create a standard charger for smartphones and other electronic gadgets, according to Reuters. Due to the connector’s practicality and increasing adoption, USB-C is likely to be the top choice; according to a Commission impact assessment study from 2019, “half of chargers sold with mobile phones in the European Union in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, while 29 percent had a USB C connector […].”

While it’s uncertain how far the law will go, Apple is likely to be the business most impacted. Because the Lightning connection is used to charge the company’s iPhones (and many of its other goods), this is the case. According to the research, Lightning connection chargers accounted for just 21% of all chargers sold with mobile phones in the EU in 2018.

Apple developed this proprietary computer bus and power connection in 2012, with 8 pins instead of the 30 connectors included in the company’s previous 30-pin dock connector. Users may install it without paying too much attention to its orientation because of its symmetrical construction.

Because many Android smartphones already use USB-C connections, the EU’s proposal to create a standard charger should have less of an effect on them.

Image credit: Apple

Apple cautioned that if customers were compelled to convert to new chargers, the EU’s drive for a single charger would stifle innovation and result in a pile of electronic trash.

It further claimed that the law was unneeded since the industry is transitioning to USB-C through connectors or cable assemblies.

Reuters is the source of this information (via 9to5Mac)