EU Lawmakers Vote Overwhelmingly in Favor of Common Charging Standard, Despite Apple's Protestations [Updated]

[Chloros]

I can’t believe all the comments I’m reading that think this is a good idea. The industry has been self-regulating just fine while continuing to have the freedom and ability to innovate. USBc sounds just fine right now, but it will be ancient in 5 years. Apple is 100% right on this.

They can vote when a better adapter is availble and change it then. Chill....apple is fighting this because the profits margins on cables and the highest of anything they sell. Apple's fan base will buy anything apple tells them to.....so this is a blow to apple.

 

[LV426]

Nope. Brussels actually brought us this decades ago, when they triggered the engineering of a completely new plug:

View attachment 891535

Remember the "fun" we had plugging this crap at the backside of VCRs and TV sets?

Yep, SCART connectors were awful, truly awful. Although you have to go back more than 40 years to find their creation, a long time before the EU was created.

 

[NickName99]

I read that - it's pretty vague and generic.

Here's another one. Click on the link to see their impact assessment of switching.

DocsRoom - European Commission

DocsRoom - European Commission

ec.europa.eu

Here's one page from this document:

View attachment 891562

Clearly there are scenarios being considered which would require Apple to change iPhones to USB-C. I'm sure Apple will be pushing a scenario that allows them to continue to use Lightning on the iPhone and worse case is requiring them to also provide an additional adaptor.

That appears to be a 200 page document about the impact of having different chargers. The resulting resolution that was just voted on is simply to have everyone use the same charger. It’s certainly possible that they could have another resolution in the future to require the same plug on all devices, but that would be a much more controversial motion, and this website wouldn’t be the only one talking about it. 😂

 

[V_Man]

Imagine the EU choosing Apple's Lightning connector as the new standard. Would every Android phone and Laptop then be required to use a Lightning connector for 24 W charging power and USB 2.0 speeds?

I’d rather worry about things that are happening.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Where's your source that this is only about the charger side? Everything I've read from the EU sounds like they're talking about the device end. Otherwise, why would they complain there are currently 3 "standards" (Lightining, Micro USB and USB-C)?

It would seem that they are talking about *both* ends? The charger and the device, or just the device if it's a charger and device cable in one. See above for the quote of the EU document. It shows 'plugs', which have to plug into something. I wouldn't mind a USB-C iPhone. Most of the other stuff I use already requires it. It would help with the plethora of cables and adapters I have already, and with turnover, I will be down to one standard.

 

[Elitegate]

Will they be able to? If the law says you must have a usb-c port, then it seems like you won't be able to have an entirely wireless device.

I guess the law is also fine with having no port at all. It's kinda late now for Apple to switch to USB-C, they could and probably should have done it years ago. Macs and iPad Pros already have the USB-C port. It's said that Apple has plans for an iPhone with no port at all, and why not just skip the USB-C port and make an iPhone with no port at all.

The rumor is that the 2021 iPhone will have no port whatsoever. I think not because some EU regulations demand one unified port by 2021 (it'll be USB-C for sure, it's the most common one today), but because of Apple being Apple. Without a charging port, they can force customers not only to buy more accessoires like Wireless Chargers and Wireless Earbuds, but also they basically force you to use their wireless solutions instead which will cost you. Apple Music or Spotify (10 $ / month) is the wireless alternative to your own music library which can cost nothing if you import your own MP3s or bought CDs into iTunes, you can still sync everything with iTunes or in the Finder if someone uses macOS Catalina. Well, i guess you can still use the iTunes Wireless Sync, if your computer has inbuild Wi-Fi, my Desktop doesn't.

Backups would have to be done with iCloud instead, and the free 5 GBs isn't enough to backup an iPhone loaded with apps, photos etc... so you would also need to pay atleast the 0.99$ / month to get the 50 GB plan.

Can you imagine that Apple would give you a free wireless charger or even AirPods in the box? Not me. Good that there are cheaper wireless chargers (mine was 15$) or wireless earbuds out there.

Now, to be fair, all the things i listed above won't cost much for one individual iPhone user, but Apple knows that there are millions out there already paying for their subscriptions on a monthly basis. If someone wants that, it's fine. It's a nice addition and it doesn't cost much.

But why pay for a music subscription if you don't need it, even if it's only 10$ a month, or pay for an iCloud plan if you don't use iCloud (for backups), even if it's 99 cents? I have a huge music collection, and it also includes songs bought off iTunes or from CDs i have bought years ago. Not everything i have was ripped off YouTube.

Most people don't even manage their phone using their computer. They manage everything wirelessly. I have seen a couple Instagram posts or YouTube videos focusing on the rumor that the 2021 iPhone will have no port, and the number one complaint people have is: I have to use a Wireless Charger.

I don't think i need to say that i will not buy an iPhone if it has zero ports. I already compromised on the Headphone Jack, and now i have to use third-party dongles for my 3.5 mm headphones. I had 2 of the 3.5 mm Adapter Dongles from Apple, and they failed pretty early on.

Imagine someone does an over-the-air iOS update, and the update process fails and the phone is bricked and will no longer work. It does happen from time to time for a small minority, atleast. You cannot just use Recovery Mode to restore the iPhone using iTunes, because it needs a connection to iTunes, a wired one. Wi-Fi doesn't work if the phone is bricked or switched off. It probably also limits the use of Jailbreaks. So you need to visit the Apple Store and maybe even pay for the service if your one-year warranty period is over.

So Apple just wants to fork more and more money, it's not really about the customer. That's why i meant i rather have an USB-C port than no port.

I don’t understand why Apple should bother with switching to USB-C in 2020, if they have plans for a portless iPhone by 2021? Unless they are being forced by the EU to use USB-C for the late 2020 model already. If the rumor doesn’t turn out to be true, then the 2021 iPhone must have USB-C.

 

[DevNull0]

What a bad idea. So we'll never get a charging solution better than USB-C now. Politicians shouldn't get involved in technology, especially when they don't understand it.

I'd agree with you in principle, but companies like Apple behaving poorly and screwing over the customer and the environment in the pursuit of extra profits are exactly why governments have to get involve so often.

They should not be alllowed to continue using their inferior proprietary port except that they want to make extra profit off chargers, cables, and accessories.

 

[Ken Linger]

Just being a devil's advocate here: Apple supports both Qi charging and Lightning charging today. Many Android phones support Qi and USB-C. Qi is a standard. Are they already compliant? Just because all ports aren't compliant doesn't mean that there isn't a complaint way of charging.

 

[HVDynamo]

there's no reason any future ports can't be the same shape and compatible usb-c. Look at the improvement from usb 2 to 3 using the same shape port.

Another great thing from the EU that I really hope the UK adopts. I'm fully ready for a usb-c only life.

Some physical designs lend themselves to modifications like that, others do not. The old USB A port made it somewhat easy, but it wouldn't be that trivial with USB C.

 

[Elitegate]

What can lightning do that USB-C can’t?

Nothing. The Lightning port is just smaller than the USB-C port. But USB-C supports more devices, is faster etc...

 

[GeoStructural]

I am ready to completely switch to USB C. Still don’t get why Apple is fighting this.

Money.

1) They get royalties from anything using Lightning.

2) This forces people to buy their cable or any cable that payed for the Made for iPhone stamp.

 

[robertcoogan]

YES!!!!!!! SO HAPPY!!!!!! THANK YOU EU!!!!!!!

 

[NickName99]

Just being a devil's advocate here: Apple supports both Qi charging and Lightning charging today. Many Android phones support Qi and USB-C. Qi is a standard. Are they already compliant? Just because all ports aren't compliant doesn't mean that there isn't a complaint way of charging.

The only non-compliant thing would be USB-A chargers that Apple bundles with their iPhones other than the iPhone 11 Pro. This resolution was essentially to make all devices use a standard USB-C charger. They’ll vote on legislation this July.

Apple could just bundle a USB-C to Lightning cable to comply, and either bundle a USB-C charger as with their iPhone 11 Pro, or just have customers buy one separately (or continue to use the one they already have). I think the EU wants manufacturers to stop bundling chargers with every phone, allowing customers to buy a charger and just keep using it over multiple phone purchases. That would indeed prevent tons of waste.

 

[Justanotherfanboy]

I think this is a great idea. There are far too many chargers. I keep finding cables and adapters around here that I have no clue what they might go to. The manufacturers should have labeled them, but very few do. Apple can come up with a USB-C to Lightning cable/adapter. Wait, they already do!

I remember the EU tried to get a standardized notebook battery too. I never heard how that went. It's maddening to be looking for a replacement battery for a perfectly good notebook and find out that no one makes the battery anymore. Not that it probably enters into the Apple world, but I can imagine some of the older Apple notebooks don't have batteries available any longer.

If laptop batteries were all mandated to be exactly the same back then... then the innovation when Apple created terraced batteries would never have occurred!
Apple was right- it is definition of stifling innovation to mandate “don’t even bother looking for a better way to do that... we have made a law stating in can ONLY be done the old way”.
I don’t understand how anyone even slightly forward thinking could get behind this.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

If you are correct in understanding it differently from the rest of us... how do you explain this quote from the article: ?

With articles like these:

EU Officially Votes To Create A Standard Charging Adaptor For Phones Despite Apple's Protests

After a debate that had raged on for more than 10 years, the European Parliament has finally voted in a landslide 582-40 decision to create a standard charging solution for all phones and other small to medium-sized mobile devices.

www.msn.com

 

[mannyvel]

Next step: mandating VT-100 compatibility, so everyone can use the Gold Standard of Terminal Emulation!

 

[smorrissey]

Go euros go!!....wait what about all my lightning devices lol....

Apple protested because they want to sell their own cables as always, trololos.

 

[robertcoogan]

The fact that you're a developer is 100% irrelevant to the topic at hand. This is about something that's good for the consumers, not the developers. Wireless really is a great thing for consumers!

Wireless is a pain. Even I (a consumer) want a standard. And the fact that he's a developer isn't "irrelevant" (try reading a dictionary, poor word usage). Bc guess what? Even developers are consumers, too.

 

[EvilEvil]

What can lightning do that USB-C can’t?

Charge devices fast and transfer data faster.

 

[NickName99]

A swing and a miss!!! Lol.

I only clicked your 2nd link... but when it said like 3 times in the first several paragraphs that this would affect the physical ports on the phone- I grew bemused with why you would post links corroborating my point, rather than attempting to refute it.

Looks like you didn’t read the articles very carefully:

“Another potential concern is that the new rules could force Apple to ditch its proprietary Lightning Connector which the company uses on the iPhone and some of its iPads. However, that may not necessarily be the case as it appears the EU is mostly focused on creating a standard charging adaptor rather than forcing individual devices to use a specific port for charging.

If the EU goes with the most obvious candidate and creates a power adaptor based on USB-C, it might not be that big of a deal for Apple as the company already makes USB-C to Lightning cables that could work with the EU’new common adaptor.”

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Not in my experience. In fact I now use wireless charging and it's not for convenience it's just to prevent me having to plug it in and wearing it out.

Wear out? The cord maybe, but the port on the phone is almost unbreakable.
People I found having issues with it, was because lint from their pockets got inside the port. I removed it using a toothpick and it was like new.

 

[I7guy]

If you are actually questioning Apples greed at this point there can be no coherent conversation between us. For you are lost.

The reason we can’t can’t have a coherent conversation is because it seems, you don’t fully understand all of apples financials. Apples margin is in-line with other phone manufacturers. “Greedy” is a meme these days. With this last blockbuster quarter your old thinking about Apple should be revisited.

 

[ksnell]

Do you want an iPhone without wires? This is how you get an iPhone without wires.

For sure. I feel like you still have to have SOME type of physical connector, so the lightning port is about to be for diagnostics only.

 

[ericwn]

What a bad idea. So we'll never get a charging solution better than USB-C now. Politicians shouldn't get involved in technology, especially when they don't understand it.

Not sure what other charging solution you have in mind. Want to throw in yet another cable type? That’s going to create tons of waste.

Politics should most definitely interfere when manufacturers develop their stuff so that we are stuck with tons of single crap - that’s not innovative by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Analog Kid]

Now if we can just get them to rule on what the standard case size will be, and pick an operating system for us to standardize on, then all the inconveniences will be removed from our phones and they can turn their attention to cereal. Entirely too many choices in the cereal aisle...