Greg Joswiak: Apple Will Have to Comply With the EU and Switch iPhone to USB-C

[Pezimak]

Excellent even less people will be buying iPhones now. They'll wait like I am going to now till USB C models are launched.
Apples iPhone sales outside the US really aren't going to be pretty this fiscal year.

 

[JapanApple]

When they asked the EU "Why?" they replied, "One word: Courage."

The EU has bigger problems than trying to standardize ports to USB c.

 

[JapanApple]

Excellent even less people will be buying iPhones now. They'll wait like I am going to now till USB C models are launched.
Apples iPhone sales outside the US really aren't going to be pretty this fiscal year.

When I found out the 14 pro max wasn't going to be USB c I said no. Then I thought USB c lighting? The port will break regardless of having a bad experience etc. I decided to only use the MagSafe charging system. I had ports break on apple and android devices. Nothing is unbreakable. Hence People need to match their needs to which standard of cable prefers. There is no right or wrong its what people prefer. I use a silicone piece to seal the lighting cable port. There is no need.

 

[gstevie]

The latest iPhones are now thicker than the latest iPads, and all those iPads now use USB-C.

An iPad is also significantly larger in other proportions to all them to spread out components. It’s not just the thickness of the device they are taking into account. Devices slimmer than an iPhone already use usb c.

 

[Reason077]

Devices slimmer than an iPhone already use usb c.

Exactly. If they can make the Siri Remote USB-C, they can make anything USB-C.

 

[mac-rumorist]

An amazing move will be to ditch the port for charging entirely, or is EU mandating that phones/devices must have ability to charge with usb-c?

 

[BroMcBroson]

Honestly, I think the EU law should not force Apple to go USB-C only, but to force Apple to offer a USB-C alternative.

This way Apple could offer USB-C and Lightning iPhones and people could choose which one they want.

I would go for USB-C no doubt, however there are probably people who want to keep their lightning docks, car chargers etc. who won’t be happy with Apple switching the port.

 

[MacScape]

Release the EU USB-C iPhone and ship it without a cable, since everybody has that cable.
And create a better -longterm- port and sell it in US only.

 

[Reason077]

Release the EU USB-C iPhone and ship it without a cable, since everybody has that cable.
And create a better -longterm- port and sell it in US only.

USB-C is already the "better longterm port".

 

[rjruiz2]

This should have been USB-C LONG time ago. But I always have this feeling that Apple will find someway of screwing it up. They will probably up the price of the iPhone to cover manufacturing costs of the USB-C implementation. Or better yet, charge you monthly for the luxury of using USB-C haha.

 

[Reason077]

This way Apple could offer USB-C and Lightning iPhones and people could choose which one they want.

Haha 🤣

Perhaps Apple could offer a new iPhone with a 30-pin connector too, so I can finally use that crappy speaker dock I bought back in 2009 again.

 

[Reason077]

An amazing move will be to ditch the port for charging entirely, or is EU mandating that phones/devices must have ability to charge with usb-c?

The directive does not require devices to support wired charging. Only "in so far as they are capable of being recharged via wired charging" then they must be equipped with the USB-C connector.

Also, some categories of devices are excluded from the requirement, including professional AV equipment and home security cameras. And the mandate doesn't apply to laptops until 40 months after it applies to everything else.

 

[MasterControlProgram]

If anything that 2024 date just means Apple will drag Lightning out for one more year on the iPhone and AirPods (or two years depending on whether the switch needs to happen at the start or end of 2024).

So much of my stuff is USB-C now (and I haven't even been making a concerted effort to switch or anything) so it's annoying Apple are still lagging here.

 

[Reason077]

When I found out the 14 pro max wasn't going to be USB c I said no. Then I thought USB c lighting? The port will break regardless of having a bad experience etc. I decided to only use the MagSafe charging system.

Good on you for rejecting lightning, even going so far as to plug up the port to prevent any lightning cables entering and tainting the purity of your device. I'm impressed!

 

[Jim Lahey]

Ostensibly good news on first blush, but extremely bad news that meddling state regulators wield such power. If they can force Apple to do this then what else can they force them to do? We already know that the EU has designs on mandating tech companies to build backdoors into their encryption technologies. No one will be smiling if that happens. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[mightysashiman]

So does this mean we're stuck with the USB-C form factor forever? If no device can have a different connector how do we ever get to what comes after USB-C?

stop trolling.

 

[PHMA]

Release the EU USB-C iPhone and ship it without a cable, since everybody has that cable.

That's brilliant. Ship the usb-c iPhone without cable. Then Apple can charge us for those as well.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

Apple was heavily involved in developing the USB-C standard anyway. It't not like they are forced to use a standard made up by others. I think Thunderbolt even uses the same plugs.

 

[Jim Lahey]

So does this mean we're stuck with the USB-C form factor forever? If no device can have a different connector how do we ever get to what comes after USB-C?

The Inner Party will tell us when we need a new connector. The proles do not need to concern themselves with such matters. Big Brother knows best ❤️

 

[deevey]

I am betting it's just the USBC connector...so Thunderbolt 4 would work since a USB-C Charger will still work with TB4. So Apple can still be Apple and say all devices come with TB4 ports that will work with USB-C chargers.

Or, as with the 10th gen iPad, USB-C port with USB 2.0 speeds 😆

*Thunderbolt on pro devices only

 

[BroMcBroson]

Haha 🤣

Perhaps Apple could offer a new iPhone with a 30-pin connector too, so I can finally use that crappy speaker dock I bought back in 2009 again.

Most people outside the tech bubble hate it, when their old stuff doesn’t work with new tech. I bet a lot of normies would choose Lightning over USB-C if offered.

 

[spytech]

I've not heard the interview, but if the "we'll have to comply" is the only thing they said about it, and is a direct quote, then they've not stated at all they'll move to USB-C. I've not seen anywhere stating that the phone has to have a connector at all, so not having one would be in compliance afaik.

 

[Asbow]

The reality is we don't. That's why what the EU did is bad in the long term. Government regulation like this stifles innovation and progress. Eventually a new and improved connector / cable will come along, only now it will take longer since it will require the blessing of our government overlords.

How does this stifle innovation? Apple pushed for this when they released the 2016-2019 MacBook Pros.

 

[Benjamin61181]

Watch Apple hike prices even more in the EU for USB-C phones.

 

[samelot628]

Can someone please explain whether and how the EU law allows for future innovation? I think USB-C is an ok standard for now, but presumably something better should replace it in the next 5-10 years. Does the law allow this to happen in some reasonable way, or does it mean we will have USB-C forever / until they reconsider?