European Commission has said that it will be mandatory for smartphone manufacturers and manufacturers of other electronics to include a USB-C charging port on their devices.
This could be a major setback for Apple as it using its proprietary Lightning connector on the iPhone.
It is not going to impact other brands also because nearly every Android phone today has a USB-C port.
The motive behind this plan is to reduce electronic waste by giving people an option to re-use their existing chargers and cables for any phone which includes the iPhone.
Apple uses the USB-C port on the MacBook and iPad but its iPhone still uses the Lightning connector.
With this new rules in Europe Apple is likely to be force to change the charging mechanism of the iPhone.
There is no immediate information available on what the iPhone maker will do.
The European Commission’s rules will also force manufacturers to make their charging technologies interoperable.
Manufacturers will also be require to provide the customers with adequate information about what charging standards their devices and chargers support.
Customers should be able to buy a new device without including the charger in the box in the European Union’s jurisdiction.
Apple was the first company to remove the charging from the retail box citing the same reason that it will protect the environment.
Many other brands also such as Samsung do not ship the charging brick.
While that goes in favour of the environment it is against the choice the customers should have when buying a new phone.
The Europe Plans new rules will ensure customers ditch the charger on their own.
Except for the iPhone almost all premium Android phones come with a USB-C connector.
Low-end phones from companies such as Samsung, Huawei, and Oppo still pack MicroUSB ports and so the ruling will need those ports replace with USB-C ports.
The European Commission’s ruling is also applicable to devices such as tablets, cameras, headphones, speakers, and handheld gaming consoles in Europe, except the UK.
Apple and other smartphone brands may produce their appeal in front of the European Union to make their case in favour of their proprietary connectors.
The proposal is a part of a revise Radio Equipment Directive and it will need to pass a vote before becoming a law.
When this proposal does become a law then Apple and other manufacturers will have two years to fully comply with the new rule.
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