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

[PlayUltimate]

One thing that was mentioned elsewhere is that the USB-C cable is a female connector with the male side (the tab) being in the device. Thus, the possibility of breakage could damage the device rather than just the cable. Not sure how prevalent this is though.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Just what is superior? And if it does provide that, why does my iPad not have a Lightning connection?

Different use cases for iPad vs. iPhone. The Lighting interface is demonstrably more durable, especially for devices that might see a lot of water, dirt, etc.

Also - the USB-C on iPads/Macs is because their use case often requires high-speed file transfers or accessories that are not applicable to how people typically use their iPhone.

It would be like mandating mud-tires on a Ferrari.

 

[MhaelK]

I don't see why Apple hasn't switched already. They were one of the driving forces to implement USB-C

Likely because the low usb 2.0 transfer speed and poor external connectivity of the Lightning port, drives the sale of high margin offerings such as higher storage and icloud subscriptions on their best selling product.

 

[aevan]

I wouldn’t mind a USB-C iPhone, but I fear this just pushes Apple towards a portless iPhone instead.

 

[bobcomer]

No it's not a superior user experience. It's charging. No need to pretend it's anything more than what it is. Neither requires specific orientation to be used so the experience is virtually the same.

Except that I've had WAY more cables and connector problem with lightening than USB-c. About the only USB-c problem I've has is they tend to loosen up with age, which can cause a problem.

With lightening, the cables are fragile, the connector is a dirt magnet which causes all sorts of problems. I can't tell you how many iPad connector cleanings I have to do for my family.

 

[weave]

Didn't they try this about 10 years ago to make Micro-USB the standard?

 

[masteroflondon]

How? Nobody's stopping anyone from working on better technologies, and EU directives are updated all the time when new and better ideas come along.

At the moment, the EU had an easy choice. This is a widely adopted and successful technology. They next one has to come from a position of zero adoption. How will you persuade the EU that your new wonderful thing that no-one has, or has even ever heard of, is better and worth compelling everyone to switch to? It's like an anchor dragging on development.

Companies would have to invest in developing new technology knowing the EU could simply turn it down. Not a gamble they will take lightly.

 

[QuarterSwede]

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

People are disagreeing with you but that’s exactly what will happen. The rumors are already stating that’s why they haven’t gone USB-C. This would just force their hand.

 

[NightFox]

Alternatively, make a USB-C ported phone for teh EU and another connector everywhere else and charge more in the EU. Unlikely, but not out of the realm of possibility.

If Apple were compelled to make a USB-C version for the EU, I can't see any benefit they'd gain in sticking with Lightning elsewhere.

 

[bobcomer]

Next up: Standardised wall plugs worldwide.

That would be nice, but the voltage difference is even more of a problem unless whatever you have is built for multivoltages.

 

[Jambalaya]

Wouldn’t be that hard. Want to sell your products in the EU? Comply. No? Ok, you can’t sell them here, say bye to a large income source.

The consumer backlash against EU should Apple products not be available would be seismic and immediate. Should the EU attempt to force such a measure there would be a huge black market in parallel imports with a corresponding massive loss in sales tax revenue to member states and EU (which takes a cut of all sales tax).

The EU will do what it generally does with things which is kick the can down the road. This whole “directive” is just yet another example of EU self aggrandising and interfering in areas it should keep out of.

 

[xbjllb]

The solution is obvious. Just slap an additional usb-c port on the devices that a handful of people will use.

 

[johnsc3]

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.

Lighting 2, perhaps.

 

[FaustsHausUK]

Walking around my apartment…

- My iPad Air uses USB-C
- My work and personal laptops use USB-C, and I have multiple USB-C accessories inc. a monitor, dock, audio interface, etc.
- My Nintendo Switch and controllers use USB-C
- My PlayStation 5 accessories (controllers, headset) use USB-C
- My portable power bricks use USB-C

I have Beats that use micro-USB, while my girlfriend’s use Lightning. Those and our iPhones are increasingly outliers. I’m not sure what advantage Lightning offers - we have to go out of our way to buy new cables when old cables are lost or damaged, they don’t charge as fast as our other devices, and they cost more. We’re not transferring data, not that I think they’re any faster as they use the same USB protocols underneath.

So I get resistance to EU mandates, totally, but not to USB-C as a universal connector.

 

[hagjohn]

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

and people will moan and groan that there is no charging/transfer port, like they did with headphone jack.

 

[antiprotest]

By the time everything moves to USB-C there will probably be devices using a next generation port. Will we never have a common standard so I can use one cable to charge everything?

If China says something, Apple will comply.

 

[mrat93]

No, it really doesn’t. Electricity is electricity.

What if this legislation had been successful 10 years ago and micro USB was the standardized connector? It’d all suck.

I’m sure that would have been the end result. For sure. Def. Companies and consumers would be like “give us the new port” and the EU would deny it because they HATE people. Surely USB-C would be on zero phones today if the EU enacted this years ago with micro USB

Or like… Maybe if there’s a new standard that consumers and the industry could rally behind, it would be approved? Maybe? Nah, EU regulations are final and a permanent. Impossible. Apple deserves full credit for the existence of USB-C because they lobbied against this with micro USB.

 

[JCCL]

Thank you for the tens of thousands metric tons of fresh e-waste, EU.

Yeah because it’s the EU’s fault that Apple has decide to stand by their proprietary technology

 

[BGPL]

I can cut the cables in my house in half with this. USB-C is superior in every way. They support USB-C on their MacBooks and desktops, but not on the phones? This only makes sense to a company that continues to make a small amount of money on proprietary cables.

 

[hagjohn]

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? I'm not talking about data transfer speed when the port is working perfectly - that is fine - but I think rectangular old school USB was a. better port. Lightning is an outstanding port, sturdy and clicks in solidly and doesn't degrade over time. Much more water resistant.

The EU wants to have some tech illiterates dictate ports, can you imagine if they did this with medicine? Leave it to the experts to figure out what port they need. Apple could've put any port on their product and they chose this one for a reason. People have been requiring different cables for different devices for all of tech history. My refrigerator uses a different power plug than my dryer. They have different requirements. Stay in your lane EU

I've been plugging in my work laptop on almost a daily basis for 3 years now with no issues. This is really a non-issue.

 

[mrat93]

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

Would there be any benefit in 51 years from some sort of upgraded wall outlet?

It’s like… Power cords and wall outlets have been sufficient for years and have no benefit to changing.

Exactly the same as Lightning and USB-C. Great comparison, actually. You should really be lobbying for Apple to convince the EU otherwise. I think you have a really good point that makes perfect sense.

 

[danny842003]

I am against this European approach of "forcing" companies into commercial practices and interfering with their businesses. Companies should be free to choose how to conduct their businesses.

it would be great if Apple just adopted USB-C for the iPhone and the iPad, and I think it will eventually go that route. But forcing Apple to do it is a bad idea as it loosens freedom and the lassez-faire.

I agree being back the Atlantic slave trade. i think we need more kids in the Congo mining rare earth minerals and whilst we’re at it let’s put more muslims in concentration camps in China to produce cheap cotton, although with my first point maybe this won’t be necessary.
[/sarcasm]

 

[randolorian]

In a statement shared with Reuters, Apple said "We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world."

Let me attempt to translate:

Apple said, "We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles our lucrative "Made for iPhone" accessory royalty income, which in turn will harm shareholders in the US and around the world."

 

[I7guy]

I would have to throw out a morass of stuff. The EU might get what it deserves with this legislation, second rate products.

 

[b-dogg]

How many people have complained that the newer iPad's are without Lighting? USB-C is a win there and also for the laptops.

I can charge both M1 Air and iPad Pro from my 30w usb wall socket with no brick now over USB-C. I have to go and grab the lightning-usb for any iPhone though.

Let's be real - Apple's intransigence is more likely due to licensing revenue. USB-C data &charging speeds are getting hard to ignore now in comparison to the 10 year old lighting cable. The convenience of packing one cable on a trip would be a win for the customer experience too.