EU Reaches Agreement to Force iPhone and AirPods to Adopt USB-C by Fall 2024

[Unregistered 4U]

I’m still wondering why the EU just doesn’t come out and inform their members that they should stop buying iPhones.

 

[siddavis]

The country is just tearing itself apart by arguing about everything, no matter what.

You mean like charging ports?

 

[VulchR]

Robust as in less prone to breakage when clumsy user trips over cord or yanks it from the wall or other act of negligence? How about USB-C being capable of faster data transfers, faster charging and works better all around for the 99% of people who aren't clumsy?

You know what is more robust about USB-C? It's a thicker cable. While I've never had a USB-C connector fail, I've had dozens of Lightning cables fail because the fragile, thin cable breaks where it enters the connector. Bends, tugs, etc., and that super-skinny cable fails. Apple-brand cables are just as bad (or worse) than others. That's NOT robust.

The male Lightning connector itself becomes flakey. The tiny contacts get dirty and tarnished being openly exposed to everything. USB-C male connector has contacts deep inside connector making them less susceptible to wear and tear by direct contact with other items in a tech bag, purse, glove compartment, etc.

USB-C is not as robust to ingress of water. I live in Scotland. Not sure how this will play out in the UK, but likely any product designed for the EU will be sold in the UK, so...

 

[Nermal]

Agree.

Curious if the law allows for the next port to be developed without permission. Or will companies have to change the law before they can try something new.

Indeed. I went to the UK in 2010 and was amazed by how little 3G coverage there was. Apparently the EU had mandated that the 900 MHz spectrum could only be used for 2G GSM, and therefore 3G coverage was limited to higher frequencies (which don't travel as far and therefore don't give as much coverage). I can see the same sort of thing happening here; USB-C might be fine at the moment but it's not going to be on top forever.

 

[I7guy]

Actually the market does want this. And the market decided that USB-C is the superior standard. Everyone except Apple uses USB-C.

So the market, not government then should dictate the connectors. I agree.

 

[switz]

Let us assume micro-USB had been mandated years ago.

The industry would, surely, have argued that the physical design, its power capacity and its data potential, were all inadequate for future products. At which point everyone could have sat round a table and come up with a micro-USB replacement option.

Obvious primary requirements being reversible, higher power, higher data potential.

Once some sort of agreement had been thrashed out, everyone would have been able to see the likely future path and worked towards it.

Even now, no-one is saying USB-C is the absolute end-point. For example, I can imagine a USB-C style of connector with the possible addition of an optical data connection. Or modified USB-C that is fully capable of withstanding immersion (and easy to dry) even if it doesn't function under water.

 

[Candlelight]

The iPhone 15 will have it anyway so it's not gonna be a stretch for Apple to accommodate for newer products. It's just their back catalog that will be affected.

 

[OliOliOliOli]

Hope Switzerland will be inside🤔

 

[SFjohn]

I wonder when Apple is going to remove the charging port from it’s iPhones & iPods. Does the EU really think USB C is the best port for the next century?

 

[ajfahey]

I’m hoping that Apple doesn’t stop at USB Type C and go all the way to USB4, if not all the way to Thunderbolt 4.

 

[ajfahey]

Why not give consumers a CHOICE and offer a USB C model and a Lightning model? Then let the market decide instead of The Government Thy God?

Why would anyone want 500 Mbit, 18 Watt Lightning over 40,000 Mbit, 100 Watt USB4 or TB4?

 

[arkmannj]

So what happens if Apple decides not to have any ports and only does wireless charging, and figures out how to do data transfer through it too.

 

[ajfahey]

This is a really good point. Same with HDMI / HDCP, what a mess that's become.

USB Type C is a connector.

 

[turbineseaplane]

So what happens if Apple decides not to have any ports and only does wireless charging, and figures out how to do data transfer through it too.

As long as the wireless charging pad is using a standard port (like USB-C), seems fine

They already support wireless charging standards right now also

 

[ajfahey]

Mechanically speaking, the Lightning port is superior to the USB-C port. Lightning is a true male-to-female connection. USB-C is mixed up. The cable end is male for insertion, but the pins in the cable are female. Conversely, the device side is female for insertion, but the pins are male. So you end up with the device side port having a fragile male connector piece. Lightning is much more mechanically robust.

Lightning is not mechanically superior. Power is exposed. At 5V and less than 3 amps this isn’t much of an issue. It does get dicey when you move to the 20V and 5 Amps supported by USB-C protocols like USB4 and Thunderbolt. Shielding for high data rates is also more cleanly implemented when a USB-C connector is used.

 

[cosmichobo]

I appreciate people's frustrations about cables... but don't see this being a matter that government should intervene in.

What happens when Apple (or Samsung, etc) wish to make changes to their devices that require something new? Do they all need to chat about it and go back and say they want the standard changed? And in so doing, give away their trade secrets...?!

Usually I'm all for governments offering guidance to ensure companies "do the right thing", but not so much with this one...

I could see Apple introducing devices specifically for the EU market... (they already have other region specific mods) And it could then potentially see new tech released in other markets before the EU, if Apple is hindered by USB-C...

 

[hcherry]

So the market, not government then should dictate the connectors. I agree.

Right? The thing is, if “the market” had actually decided USB-C was the best thing (compared to all the other stuff we also want in our phones), iPhones wouldn’t be the most profitable phones made.

Stated preference vs. demonstrated preference.

 

[MrMojo1]

"Critics say the new legislation will stifle innovation by de-incentivizing manufacturers from developing improved charging standards. The EU denies this will be the case, and says it will update the legislation as new technology is developed.

“Don’t think we’re setting something in stone for the next 10 years,” said Breton at the press conference. “We have a standard that is being developed, and we have a dedicated team that will keep a close eye on all this and adapt as time goes by. We will evolve.”

USB-C will be mandatory for phones sold in the EU ‘by autumn 2024’

Along with tablets, cameras, and more.

www.theverge.com

At least the EU has stated that it's willing to adopt newer tech changes as it occurs which defeats the complaining of many commenters in this sub and other online comment board that the EU will languish and not do anything if tech standards change.

 

[turbineseaplane]

What happens when Apple (or Samsung, etc) wish to make changes to their devices that require something new? Do they all need to chat about it and go back and say they want the standard changed? And in so doing, give away their trade secrets...?!

They really are no innovative “trade secrets” in simple connector technology.

Additionally it’s much better for everybody around the world to have standards developed that everyone uses so that we can all use interchangeable cables and chargers

Besides all that, lightning is like a decade old and still runs at USB 2, so Apple is hardly leading any innovation here.

Lightning was a great replacement for 30 pin but its time has passed

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

As I have said before, I'm totally on board with Apple needing to support USB-C on their devices and totally against it being enshrined in legislation.

It's the only way it's going to happen. Sometimes you have to force evil people to behave via laws.

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

This salty American believes that if Apple or any other company were to invent some better technology than USB-c, they ought not to have Regulation prevent that innovation from moving forward. Also I believe that companies ought to design their products and can’t really see where the lightening port actually hurts any consumer so much that it needs the government to regulate it out of existence.

Lightning hurts us Apple fans because it is so damn slow for large data transfer these days. Video size got too big for it, time to move on.

Unlike the audio jack, which always has been, and always will be, a perfectly high quality professional solution for audio. Apple declaring it old tech is ridiculous.

 

[Allyance]

Despite any specialist high voltage plug, and those also have standards, there is a 120V plug standard in US homes with 3rd-prong grounded vs ungrounded being the obvious difference. If I move to a new home my Mac or TV, for example, can plug into any 120V outlet there because it is a standardized outlet.

It is called the National Electrical Code. They even specify outlet placement and height. Most lamps, appliances etc have 6’ power cords, therefore, new construction dictates outlets be max 6’ apart. Common sense, so people don’t use extensions.

 

[lartola]

Right? The thing is, if “the market” had actually decided USB-C was the best thing (compared to all the other stuff we also want in our phones), iPhones wouldn’t be the most profitable phones made.

Stated preference vs. demonstrated preference.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but in Europe the iphone isn’t the most sold phone. Apple only has a 15-20% marketshare in Europe and most other places outside the US.

 

[ggibson913]

Lightning hurts us Apple fans because it is so damn slow for large data transfer these days. Video size got too big for it, time to move on.

Unlike the audio jack, which always has been, and always will be, a perfectly high quality professional solution for audio. Apple declaring it old tech is ridiculous.

That may be true and as I said I am for USB-C. That still doesn’t sound like hurt which requires government regulation.

 

[hcherry]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but in Europe the iphone isn’t the most sold phone. Apple only has a 15-20% marketshare in Europe and most other places outside the US.

Didn’t say most sold. Said most profitable.

One of many sources if folks are interested.