EU Approves Co Charger Act iPhone 15 Will Confirm USB Type-C Charging Interface
Yesterday, the Charger Act, which had been exposed, was finally approved by the European Council. That is to say, by the end of 2024, the USB Type-C interface will be mandatory in various Apple consumer electronic devices, including iPhone and AirPods, and the Apple Lightning charging interface will be gone forever. For this bill, many people predict that Apple will start using USB Type-C interface on iPhone 15.
As outlined in an official press release,the European Council approved the European Parliament's Common Charger Directiveand finally determined the legislative process, which will force USB-C ports to be used in various consumer electronic devices, including iPhones and AirPods, by the end of 2024The Directive has been formally adopted and will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union. It will take effect 20 days after its release, and the rules will take effect 24 months after that date. Products that are sold before the application date will be exempt and may continue to be sold after that date.
USB-C, as the "universal port" required by law, is the first regulation in the world, which may affect Apple because it widely uses lightning connectors on many devices instead of USB-C. Members of the European Parliament said the move would reduce e-waste, solve the problem of product sustainability and make the use of different equipment more convenient.
Regardless of the manufacturer, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headphones, hand-held video game consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earplugs and laptops can be charged through cable, and the power output is up to 100 watts. They must have a USB-C port. The exemption will apply to devices that are too small to provide USB-C ports, such as smart watches, health trackers and some sports equipment, but it is expected that the legislation will be extended to other devices over time. Companies must also ensure that special labels clearly inform consumers of the charging characteristics of the devices they purchase.
In addition, the EU seeks to ensure that wireless charging solutions are interoperable with the development of technology. The Directive authorizes the European Commission to formulate an authorization bill before the end of 2024, forcing companies to make their customized wireless charging solutions more open and compliant with interoperability standards, helping consumers avoid falling into proprietary charging solutions, while preventing fragmentation and reducing waste. It is unclear whether this includes Apple's MagSafe charging system for iPhone and AirPods, because it is based on the Qi wireless charging standard.
Guo Mingyu, an Apple analyst, and Mark Goulman of Bloomberg believe thatApple is testing an iPhone version with USB-C ports rather than lightning. Guo Mingxuan believes thatApple can switch iPhone to USB-C from iPhone 15 in 2023, and then convert AirPods and other accessories in the future. This opportunity will enable Apple to switch many of its affected devices to USB-C before the EU Directive takes effect.
In fact, Apple has always wanted to replace the charging interface, but now its biggest weakness is the charging rate. If the charging interface is replaced, the biggest weakness of Apple's mobile phone will disappear, and Android phones can be suppressed in an all-round way, which has far-reaching significance for Apple's development.
