EU seeks ban for non-USB-C chargers going forward

(Pocket-lint) - The European Commission is to enactment guardant authorities to prohibition the usage of chargers different than USB-C for products released successful EU states.

It proposes that lone USB-C charging volition beryllium allowed - which volition forestall Apple from releasing aboriginal iPhones sporting Lightning, for example.

Over the past fewer years, the Commisson has been moving with manufacturers who person voluntarily ditched rival charging technologies. It claims to person reduced the fig of antithetic mobile telephone charger types from 30 down to conscionable three. Now it feels it needs authorities to unit remaining companies to comply with a "common charging solution".

"European consumers were frustrated agelong capable astir incompatible chargers piling up successful their drawers. We gave manufacture plentifulness of clip to travel up with their ain solutions, present clip is ripe for legislative enactment for a communal charger. This is an important triumph for our consumers and situation and successful enactment with our greenish and integer ambitions," said the enforcement vice president for a Europe acceptable for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager.

The caller iPhone 13 family of devices bash enactment Lightning charging, though they are besides compatible with Qi wireless charging pads and Apple's ain MagSafe.

The Commission besides proposes that accelerated charging exertion is "harmonised' crossed brands: "[It] volition assistance forestall that antithetic producers unjustifiably bounds the charging velocity and volition assistance to guarantee that charging velocity is the aforesaid erstwhile utilizing immoderate compatible charger for a device," it stated successful a press release.

Ultimately, the proposals mightiness not travel to overmuch immoderate clip soon. Such legislative alteration volition request to beryllium adopted by the European Parliament and the Council first, past determination volition beryllium a two-year modulation play for the manufacture to adapt. So, iPhone 16 volition person USB-C then. Probably.

Writing by Rik Henderson. Originally published connected 23 September 2021.