EU mandates single charger for all phones
EU
13:53 today
The ruling will require standard USB-C chargers for all smartphones, including iPhones.
The ruling will require standard USB-C chargers for all smartphones, including iPhones.
The proposal initially angered Apple, claiming it would reduce innovation.
Photo credit: Shutterstock
Members of the European Parliament voted to force companies such as Apple Inc. to adapt products that don’t already have a standard USB-C charger to use one. For Apple, this includes the iPhone.
A total of 602 lawmakers voted in favor of the plan on Tuesday, with 13 against and eight abstaining.
The deal, agreed in June between the Commission and 27 countries of the European Union, is still subject to final approval from EU member states. The regulation is likely to become law in early 2023.
The European Parliament’s chief negotiator, Alex Agius Saliba, lifted a pile of power adapters as he debated the final proposal in Strasbourg on Tuesday. “We’re replacing this pile of chargers,” he said of the bundle, “just for this one,” lifting one USB-C cable.
The proposal originally angered Apple, which said it would reduce innovation. However, the company is currently testing future iPhone models that will replace the proprietary Lightning charging port with a standard USB-C connector, Bloomberg reported in May. Like most popular Android smartphones, you already have them.
Apple plans to move iPhones to USB-C charging to meet new EU law
Under the proposed rule, all phones and tablets sold in Europe will have to be compliant by fall 2024. Laptops take longer to switch. The committee could also set standards for wireless charging in the future.
The proposal was first made by the European Commission last year. It aims to save an estimated €250 million ($247 million) annually by reducing environmental waste and eliminating the need for consumers to buy different chargers for different devices, Europe says. The committee’s executive vice president, Margrethe Vestager, told Congress on Tuesday.
“A common charger will simplify life for Europeans,” said Vestager. “Outdated chargers will no longer be piling up in drawers, reducing costs for European citizens.”
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http://www.luxtimes.lu/en/business-finance/eu-mandates-single-chargers-for-all-phones-633c1ea2de135b9236cab8ae EU mandates single charger for all phones
