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The European Union will demand that all new smartphones and tablets sold within its borders have a common charging port in the autumn of 2024, and laptops in 2026, under a new interim agreement, which pushes Technology companies like Apple to be in line with other smartphones. manufacturers who have widely adopted a universal port in recent years.
European Parliament and Council negotiators agreed on the law on Tuesday, saying in a statement that the measure aims to “make products in the EU more sustainable, reduce e-waste and make life easier for consumers”.
The law, which has yet to be formally approved, requires all new smartphones, tablets, e-readers and portable speakers – among a long list of other small electronic devices – sold in the EU to use USB-C type charging port. The requirement for laptops will take effect in early 2026.
The small tablet-shaped port is already used on many smartphones and laptops, as well as on Apple’s latest iPads and some of its previous-generation MacBook laptops.
But the mandate puts Apple in a difficult position, as it has clung to its “Lightning” port that owns its iPhones and the charging cases of its in-ear AirPods. The Verge, a tech news site, called the European law “a major blow to Apple’s Lightning port.”
Just as California’s environmental and safety standards often cause changes in the United States due to the logistical difficulty and financial impracticability of creating different products for different states, European cargo ports law could have a widespread impact. for portable consumer electronics worldwide.
In Germany, the largest economy in the European Union, the three most popular smartphones are all iPhones, according to the consumer research site Counterpoint, with the fourth and fifth Samsung Galaxy phones using USB-C ports. . In France, the second largest economy on the block, iPhones are the top four in the smartphone market.
Apple has also recently returned its patented “MagSafe” magnetic charger to its MacBook Pro and on Monday announced it would do the same with its slimmer MacBook Air laptops.
The Post support service covered Apple’s announcement of new features for MacBook and iOS 16. Read more here.
However, it appears that Apple has been preparing for crackdown: Bloomberg reported last month that amid impending European law, the company has tested iPhone models that use USB-C instead of its proprietary port. .
Technology critics have lamented Apple’s persistence in maintaining its proprietary ports for years, noting that while many device manufacturers have adapted to the USB-C port, Apple’s unique charging medium consumers trapped in a multi-cable wrapper.
But the move could stifle efforts to innovate toward the abolition of charging ports, such as the use of magnetic contact chargers instead of ports to allow extremely thin devices, said Benedict Evans, an industry analyst. He wrote on Twitter that it was “difficult to see any significant benefits for consumers” of the law, which he said banned “some ideas” such as the exclusive use of magnetic chargers.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday night. When European law was proposed in September, the company said in a statement: “We are concerned that strict regulation requiring only one type of connector will stifle innovation rather than encourage it, which in turn will hurt consumers in Europe and around the world. “
When Apple stopped providing wired headphones and wall plugs with its iPhones in 2020, it said the cut was for environmental reasons, though some noted it was better for the company’s results.