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EU Sets Official Deadline for When iPhone Must Switch to USB-C

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The European Union has set an official deadline for when all smartphones sold in its jurisdiction must have a USB-C port, including the iPhone.

iPhone-15-to-Switch-From-Lightning-to-USB-C-in-2023-feature.jpg

The EU officially approved the common charger law in October, but a specific date for when the law would come into force was unknown. Now, in a newly published directive, the EU says all smartphones must have USB-C by December 28, 2024. Other consumer products, such as tablets and gadgets, will also be required to switch to USB-C under the new law. Products that rely solely on wireless charging with no port will not have to include USB-C.

Apple's vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak "Joz," confirmed that Apple would have no choice but to adhere to the EU's new law. Joz didn't say when Apple would make the switch to USB-C and away from Lightning, but with the December 2024 deadline, Apple could wait until the iPhone 16 in September 2024 before transitioning to the newer port.

Reports suggest that Apple is planning to make the switch to USB-C earlier than the fall of 2024 with the iPhone 15 in September 2023. Other Apple products and accessories such as the AirPods and Mac keyboards, mouses, and trackpads are also expected to follow suit with USB-C shortly after.



Article Link: EU Sets Official Deadline for When iPhone Must Switch to USB-C
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/12/08/eu-deadline-for-iphone-usb-c/
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MacRumors said:


The European Union has set an official deadline for when all smartphones sold in its jurisdiction must have a USB-C port, including the iPhone.

​

The EU officially approved the common charger law in October, but a specific date for when the law would come into force was unknown. Now, in a newly published directive, the EU says all smartphones must have USB-C by December 28, 2024. Other consumer products, such as tablets and gadgets, will also be required to switch to USB-C under the new law. Products that rely solely on wireless charging with no port will not have to include USB-C.

Apple's vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak "Joz," confirmed that Apple would have no choice but to adhere to the EU's new law. Joz didn't say when Apple would make the switch to USB-C and away from Lightning, but with the December 2024 deadline, Apple could wait until the iPhone 16 in September 2024 before transitioning to the newer port.

Reports suggest that Apple is planning to make the switch to USB-C earlier than the fall of 2024 with the iPhone 15 in September 2023. Other Apple products and accessories such as the AirPods and Mac keyboards, mouses, and trackpads are also expected to follow suit with USB-C shortly after.



Article Link: EU Sets Official Deadline For When iPhone Must Switch to USB-C
Click to expand...
But what about the earlier model iPhones Apple keep manufacturing and selling when a new model is released? If they switch to USB-C next year for the iPhone 15 and the deadline is 2024 (iPhone 16) then they will not be able to keep selling the iPhone 14 in 2024 in Europe as that would still have Lightning. So Europe will only be able to buy iPhone 16 and 15 models in 2024 (presumably a new USB-C SE will be available by 2024). If they don't switch to USB-C until the iPhone 16 in 2024 then they won't be able to keep selling the iPhone 15 or 14 in Europe then.
 
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Apple can switch on the fly with the Apple Dongle Ultra. Have the best of both worlds: lightning and USB C, with the best, most powerful, thinnest and lightest dongle we’ve ever made. There has never been a faster, more versatile dongle with the cachet of the Apple Dongle Ultra.

8648332B-F9DA-4A87-9FF2-66397D0EBC64.jpeg
 
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Wokis said:
The rule is that it must have USB-C. Thunderbolt 4 uses USB-C in full-pin configuration. It's compliant. It's fine.
Click to expand...

TB4 uses USB-C as a connector, but it is not USB-C. While the articles says it should be USB-C.

And what happens if Intel decides to change the connector of Thunderbolt to something else. Then you are screwed because of Europe, as Apple is then stuck on outdated Thunderbolt.

And then we are back where we have different cables for computers (using the latest Thunderbolt) and smartphones.
 
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With regulations like this usually, if your product is on the market before the deadline you don't have to worry. Doesn't that mean technically they could release a lightning port in September 2024 and not be forced to go USB until September 2025 (the first year in which the rule will be in place during a launch window)?
 
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if they wait until iPhone 16 that would mean they would no longer be able to sell the previous years model in the EU which they always tend to sell for a lower price so that wouldn't really make too much sense to wait until that time
 
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ForkHandles said:
Apple’s reliance on the lightning connector is a joke. There is no real logic to their choice of connectors across their product line up.
All we should be using by now is USB-C to USB-C leads for everything.
Click to expand...

Especially since they haven’t even done anything with it. People always love to say „this will stop innovation“ yeah right, Apple is still using the same connector from literally 10 years ago on the iPhone today
 
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Actually, I think all new sites are reporting this false. It doesn't mean iPhones after Dec 28th 2024 need an USB-C port, it means Apple is not allowed to sell an iPhone with a Lightning port (like iPhone 14) after that day.
 
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Unpopular because they make unified charging jack mandatory? Everyone in the world should be happy that the EU has finally forced Apple to abandon the slow and outdated Lightning connector!
The EU does many good things for its citizens, like free roaming in all member countries, roam like at home, I don't have to worry about that when I travel. I can buy goods duty-free throughout the Union, health insurance is valid throughout the Union, and so on.
It's just modern and popular to bash the EU.
Luap said:
What next? EU demands all phones have an EU flag displayed at boot up?
No wonder the EU is increasingly unpopular.
Click to expand...
 
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Apple will have to do it for the iPhone 15 already, as they continue to sell old iPhones even when new ones are released. For example they still sell the iPhone 13 now. To still sell the iPhone 15 in December 2024, it needs to have USB-C or no port at all.
 
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Wokis said:
The rule is that it must have USB-C. Thunderbolt 4 uses USB-C in full-pin configuration. It's compliant. It's fine.
Click to expand...
The rule is that if it has a charging ports at least one of them must be usbC...so apple will go with usbC or portless
 
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Tomboman said:
Actually, I think all new sites are reporting this false. It doesn't mean iPhones after Dec 28th 2024 need an USB-C port, it means Apple is not allowed to sell an iPhone with a Lightning port (like iPhone 14) after that day.
Click to expand...

I think only newly introduced products. Newly manufactured iPhone 14 would be allowed on the shelves.
 
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