EU Proposes to Force Apple to Switch iPhone, iPad, and AirPods From Lightning to USB-C

[bradman83]

You‘d still need the same number of cables, regardless of if they were different types. One charging brick and cable per device. It doesn’t matter if they are USBC, micro USB or lightning, it’s still one set of charging brick and cable per device. This is why I'm struggling to work out what the benefit of this legislation is unless they really do think people are going to use a single charging brick and cable for all of their devices.

Do you always charge every single device at the same time? I don’t. I use the same lightning cable and charger to charge my AirPods and iPhone. I use the same USB-C adapter to charge my MacBook and iPad. Consumers don’t need to be given a power brick and cable with every single purchase. Manufacturer’s could opt to not include any cables in boxes, much as many no longer include power bricks, on the assumption that consumers either already have them or can add them on if needed. If consumers need additional cables they can purchase them, and being a universal standard it means the replacement or additional cables will be inexpensive.

 

[mrochester]

Do you always charge every single device at the same time? I don’t. I use the same lightning cable and charger to charge my AirPods and iPhone. I use the same USB-C adapter to charge my MacBook and iPad. Consumers don’t need to be given a power brick and cable with every single purchase. Manufacturer’s could opt to not include any cables in boxes, much as many no longer include power bricks, on the assumption that consumers either already have them or can add them on if needed. If consumers need additional cables they can purchase them, and being a universal standard it means the replacement or additional cables will be inexpensive.

It’s not just charging at the same time, it’s having chargers located behind furniture etc, so once they are there they rarely get unplugged.

I often charge my iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and MBP at the same time, so I’d need at least 4 charging bricks and cables.

 

[AndiG]

Apple again!!! Apple could have stopped this if Apple would listen to its user base. There would no law if all the iP13 models would be equipped with USB-C ...

But hey! It is Apple - again! But I'm almost sure Apple already has everything in place

It is sad, cause his law would really be a barrier for innovation - but on the other hand I'm looking forward to get rid of those lightning cables.

 

[oldmacs]

Great! Hope this goes through.

 

[travoose]

Was never concerned about this...until just this morning when I was trying to determine the most advantageous charging setup, I quickly figured that the fractured connection options on the different Apple products left me desiring that Apple sticks to one or the other for all of their connection needs.

 

[hybrid_x]

I'm pretty sure the main reason Apple uses the lightning connector is because it contains a copy protection chip that the record companies wanted included to prevent people from sharing MP3s between devices. USB-C does not include hardware-based digital media copy protection. I'm not sure how they got away with it for the iPad Pro.

And I have no idea why they use Lightning for the charging port on the Magic Keyboard, mouse, and trackpad.

 

[TrueBlou]

You‘d still need the same number of cables, regardless of if they were different types. One charging brick and cable per device. It doesn’t matter if they are USBC, micro USB or lightning, it’s still one set of charging brick and cable per device. This is why I'm struggling to work out what the benefit of this legislation is unless they really do think people are going to use a single charging brick and cable for all of their devices.

You’d only need multiple cables if you we’re charging/using each device at the same time.

When I travel, I have probably 5 USB-C devices with me. I only take 2 cables though, and the second one is a ‘just in case’ cable. Rarely do I need to charge all of the devices at the same time. Particularly with the fast charging speeds of many devices now.

But that’s me, we’re all different - thankfully. I’m just saying, because you may need all of those cables and adapters all at once, we don’t all do the same.

Personally I couldn’t give much of a figs fart either way. But it would be nice to cut down on having to take Lightning cables with me just for my phone and headphones and use a standard interface.

I don’t however, think that a governing body such as the EU are the ones to decide on it though.
If there was to be a standardised connector, then it should be the electronic companies as a whole to make that decision.

 

[laptech]

If governments are concerned about E-Waste then they should introduce a law that requires the manufacturers of products to accept returns of their products so they can be put to E-waste. The company should be forced to produce an E-Waste products returns label that consumers can contact the company and request. The consumer then sends the product to the company for them to dispose of because the problem is, once the product is made, the manufacturer goes 'not my concern any more'. Well it should be their concern, they made it, they should be forced to E-waste it.

 

[jimbobb24]

As much as I would want iPhone to have USB-C I hope this never gets through. Imagine if they did this when micro-USB was the standard. We would have been stuck with that forever. At some point we will get a connector that's even better than USB-C but this legislation would not allow any new standard to be used.

Well…not for 10 extra years. It would slow things down. But bossing people around is nearly irresistible.

 

[mrochester]

You’d only need multiple cables if you we’re charging/using each device at the same time.

When I travel, I have probably 5 USB-C devices with me. I only take 2 cables though, and the second one is a ‘just in case’ cable. Rarely do I need to charge all of the devices at the same time. Particularly with the fast charging speeds of many devices now.

But that’s me, we’re all different - thankfully. I’m just saying, because you may need all of those cables and adapters all at once, we don’t all do the same.

Personally I couldn’t give much of a figs fart either way. But it would be nice to cut down on having to take Lightning cables with me just for my phone and headphones and use a standard interface.

I don’t however, think that a governing body such as the EU are the ones to decide on it though.
If there was to be a standardised connector, then it should be the electronic companies as a whole to make that decision.

I take the same number of cables and chargers away on holiday as I use at home.

 

[Akrapovic]

What's crazy to think is the latest iPhone 13 Pro Max uses the same charging cable as a 2012 iPod nano.

It doesn't. The lightning connector has changed over time to support new things. We as consumers just don't have to change them because Apple deals with the compatibility side of things, so we don't need to.

This is why some unofficial lightning cables work with old devices, but produce errors on new ones. Lightning cables have generations, we just don't need to worry about them.

This is also why I prefer lightning over USB-C, because you don't need to worry if it's 2, 3, PB only, thunderbolt etc. For "Unverisal" Serial Bus devices, USBs are not as universal as you'd expect.

 

[mrochester]

If governments are concerned about E-Waste then they should introduce a law that requires the manufacturers of products to accept returns of their products so they can be put to E-waste. The company should be forced to produce an E-Waste products returns label that consumers can contact the company and request. The consumer then sends the product to the company for them to dispose of because the problem is, once the product is made, the manufacturer goes 'not my concern any more'. Well it should be their concern, they made it, they should be forced to E-waste it.

Pretty sure that is already the law?

 

[Abazigal]

Do you always charge every single device at the same time? I don’t. I use the same lightning cable and charger to charge my AirPods and iPhone. I use the same USB-C adapter to charge my MacBook and iPad. Consumers don’t need to be given a power brick and cable with every single purchase. Manufacturer’s could opt to not include any cables in boxes, much as many no longer include power bricks, on the assumption that consumers either already have them or can add them on if needed. If consumers need additional cables they can purchase them, and being a universal standard it means the replacement or additional cables will be inexpensive.

Yes for me. So at night, I have a charging stand for my iphone and Apple Watch, my iPad Pro and AirPods share another dual-port charger, and my MBA runs off a 65-w anker charger. Basically, I am able to charge all my devices at the same time (usually overnight while I sleep) if I wanted.

All are third party chargers; I find I rarely ever use the ones supplied by Apple because they are either too slow, or have too few ports.

 

[NightFox]

And what if EU comes up with a law that force all manufacturers to include a charging port ?

And there's an argument that it should, given the inefficiencies of wireless charging. I'd like to see how any company that goes fully wireless charging will align that with their green credentials.

 

[400]

Latest Apple products with C ports on have meant I need new wall chargers (sockets with built in ports), cables, adapters, and at some point will need a new hub. Desk top only came with a lead for charging mouse and keyboard and nothing to help with all the C ports on the rear.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I'm surprised that there isn't a USB-C to Lightning dongle. Maybe it's coming?

 

[bradman83]

It’s not just charging at the same time, it’s having chargers located behind furniture etc, so once they are there they rarely get unplugged.

I often charge my iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and MBP at the same time, so I’d need at least 4 charging bricks and cables.

Then you should support this initiative, because it means no matter what charger/cable comes with a device you purchase it would work with any other device you purchase. And if no charger or cable comes with the device then you’d already have a wide array of cables and adapters that are compatible. That’s the whole point - make everything universal so that whatever cable you leave behind various furniture items will work with almost anything you want to plug in.

 

[falkon-engine]

Even more crazy - your 2021 computer and 1970 refrigerator can use the same wall outlet!

True. But the wall outlet isn’t a data line, and is only capped in terms of power consumption depending on the wiring gauge used. Phone charging ports are different because old usb-a were capped to 5V max until Qualcomm and some others introduced their standards, usb-c and usb-pd came along and revolutionized usb charging forever.

The charger and the end Devices negotiate the voltage and amperage necessary, and it’s a beautiful thing. One charger. One cable. Multiple devices. Apple already supports it needs to in terms usb-pd in order to transition to usb-c. I mean they just did it on the iPad mini. Time leave lightning behind and to move on.

 

[NightFox]

You‘d still need the same number of cables, regardless of if they were different types. One charging brick and cable per device. It doesn’t matter if they are USBC, micro USB or lightning, it’s still one set of charging brick and cable per device. This is why I'm struggling to work out what the benefit of this legislation is unless they really do think people are going to use a single charging brick and cable for all of their devices.

Lets say I have a USB-C iPad and an iPhone. Right now, I need two cables. If the iPhone was also USB-C, I'd only need one as I don't need to charge both simultaneously. For example, I have a single 'live' USB-C cable on my desk that I use to charge about 8 different devices from time-to-time.

 

[ashdelacroix]

Even if you support this law, beware the law of unintended consequences. Imagine a technology is developed that radicalises power and data transfer but requires a slightly different port. I mean it would be impossible to introduce that innovation into the EU without further legislation.

And then what is next? Do we have legislation for what kinds of display technology companies use, because they use too much of a certain combination of chemicals or because of certain temperatures required to produce them? What about processors? Should they all be generic? Should the EU decide on the exact speed of innovation?

This law may save cables, may make using and recharging multiple devices from different vendors far easier, but it's still a fairly astonishing precedent. Why would we think it stops there? Regulators (in my personal experience) constantly look to "innovate" and widen their remits: it's what gets them up in the morning.

I bet my bottom dollar they will be looking at further incursions into the autonomy of innovators. The US/UK innovates, the EU regulates, as someone once said. It's hard not to be concerned.

 

[jimbobb24]

Uh?
What do you think it is best? Allow a corporate to continue polluting the environment with more cables and adapters that work ONLY with their products or require such corporate (and any other) to use a standard that works for everything and can do absolutely everything that those custom cables and adapters?

You should actually thank the EU for this. Yet another directive that will improve the lives of EU citizens, the economy (the money spent on absurd cables and adapters can be better used to consume other more useful products) and the recycling and processing of waste in the EU.
And for free, the rest of the planet will probably get the same because this is one of those directives that will likely apply globally in practice, just like GDPR.



I think you are getting it wrong.

The EU is legislating for the EU consumers, to protect them and to care for them.
If there was no legislation, we would be ruled by corporate and stock market because the goals of companies is to make as much money as possible with the lowest possible cost. Legislation is there to put limits that the citizens have demanded.

What has been shown in many studies is that govt agencies don’t care about you any more than corporations. Both act the same…they care about themselves. And why should that surprise anyone? People in govt are just people like people in business. Both just look out for themselves. In looking out for themselves sometimes businesses make great products. In looking out for themselves sometimes government agencies pass good regulations. But both out for themselves first and foremost.

The rest of your conclusions are just magic thinking … if we do this these simple effects will happen. Sure if the world was simple…but it’s an infinite variable system. No one knows if the net result will be less waste, less money spent, etc. The tiny part you observe might go the way you think but another 10000 you don’t observe may go the opposite way resulting in net negative changes. These things are unknowable.

 

[555gallardo]

And this is how the iPhones goes portless... to escape the EU police state

You must be really sensitive if a stupid connector makes you think of EU being a police state.

 

[NightFox]

Am I the only one that thinks the USBC connector that allows the cable to jiggle around in it, has a tiny male piece in the center that can easily break off, and gets as soft and loose over time like mashed potatoes, is a really crappy connector?

Sorry, I thought you were describing the Lightning connector there.

 

[mrochester]

Lets say I have a USB-C iPad and an iPhone. Right now, I need two cables. If the iPhone was also USB-C, I'd only need one as I don't need to charge both simultaneously. For example, I have a single 'live' USB-C cable on my desk that I use to charge about 8 different devices from time-to-time.

That’s what I’m saying, the legislation seems to assume that people will charge devices in turn instead of wanting to charge multiple devices at the same time. I charge devices at the same time.

 

[The Phazer]

Please kill lightning on the Mac accessories at the same time. Thanks.