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

[jlc1978]

I seriously doubt that all of them are "in common use".

Actually, they are. Most places have 240 for some appliances, 120 for the majority of the appliances. 240 and 120, for obvious reasons, have different sockets. 120 has 2 and 3 prong outlets; as well as subtypes that are grounded, self grounding, tamper proof, etc.

Much like the EU regulation on USB C, then.

Not really. If it was the same Apple would be awarded exclusive rights to sell cell phones in some countries, Samsung in others, etc. The companies would agree on standard way to interoperate for business reasons; but some pockets would only have say 3G and not work outside of their area.

The plug evolved as the result of companies wanting a safer design and the need for a standard plug for simplicity (and marketability) reasons. Standards were defined, starting in the 20’s, by NEMA, an organization similar to USB-IF in that it is a manufacturers group that sets standards. Plug building codes eventually came into play as well; but rather late in the game relative to electrification. The US can thank Edison for 110 and Westinghouse and Tesla for 60HZ; just as Europe can thank Germany and BEW for 220/50.

Unlike electrical supply, there is no compelling commercial reason for a standard phone charging plug, since the phone -cable interface is specific to a device; unlike the AC end that can be moved from location to location so a standard is needed to ensure power is available. Even teh EU recognized that customization may be warranted and thus only prescribed a bare minimum of plug/power requirements in the regulation.

Apple has been moving to USB-C for its devices and suspect the iPhone would go there whether the EU acted or not. I doubt this been speeded up the timeline since the first phone that would probably need it by reg could be as late as the 16, if Apple wanted to wait that long.

 

[Lihp8270]

I’m afraid Apple release two versions of the iPhones. One usb-c version for Europe and one lightning for rest of the world.

This would make zero sense from a production perspective.

 

[RolandGo]

Actually, they are. Most places have 240 for some appliances, 120 for the majority of the appliances. 240 and 120, for obvious reasons, have different sockets. 120 has 2 and 3 prong outlets; as well as subtypes that are grounded, self grounding, tamper proof, etc.

Thank you for the information. I fail to see the advantage compared to a single voltage - single plug system.

Not really. If it was the same Apple would be awarded exclusive rights to sell cell phones in some countries, Samsung in others, etc.

Thanks again. I never said "the same", I said "much like". As in "much like the EU picking a connector type the market has basically already decided upon and not forcing an unknown type onto the whole industry". But maybe it’s not that much alike. Still a long way from the "evil government overreach" some posters here complain about.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Mr. Joz. This was not needed if Apple had implemented it long time ago. Better late than never. Bring it on for the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro lineup. This world is ready to say Goodbye to the lightning connector.

It is time and it’s got to go. 😎

As the latest iPad 10th gen USB-C article shows,

Careful what you wish for
It all isn’t roses on the other side.

 

[compwiz1202]

Two outlets standards are extremely common in housing. Your microwave plugs into one, and your fridge plugs into the other.

If the third refers to the one without grounding, I'm hoping the use of those is dropping constantly

 

[jlc1978]

Thank you for the information. I fail to see the advantage compared to a single voltage - single plug system.

Different argument; if advantages are considered we’d switch to DC. Even Europe doesn’t have a single plug system.

Thanks again. I never said "the same", I said "much like". As in "much like the EU picking a connector type the market has basically already decided upon and not forcing an unknown type onto the whole industry". But maybe it’s not that much alike. Still a long way from the "evil government overreach" some posters here complain about.

Semantics aside, I don’t see it as overreach as they are merely codifying what the major players are doing anyway. It works to their advantage since the cheap phone makers will also have to comply, raising costs and perhaps pushing some out of the market. Pulse, Apple now gets to sell you a new cable and power adapter, plus USB-C to Lightening adapters.

If the third refers to the one without grounding, I'm hoping the use of those is dropping constantly

They’re mostly in older homes now. Replacing them usually requires a grounded outlet, even if it self grounding when there is no neutral (ground) wire.

 

[bobcomer]

This would make zero sense from a production perspective.

SIM card... They've done it before, in other words.

I wouldn't be surprised, but I *hope* they don't have different for the U.S. again.

 

[GretWhiteShirt]

Thank God.

 

[danny842003]

Different argument; if advantages are considered we’d switch to DC. Even Europe doesn’t have a single plug system.

Because the Uk(historical),Ireland, Malta and Cyprus have a far better system than the rest of the EU whilst making up only a small proportion of the population.
You can’t make a good argument to switch to a worse system and it’s even harder to make the rest of the EU switch to that. For the record it’s not only the outlets that are different but the way the houses are wired with ring maines etc.

Plus what’s the big benefit to the switch? The vast majority aren’t moving devices around countries on a regular basis.

 

[cubeover]

Oh by the way, i was flabbergasted back when they decided to unify around microUSB in Europe, thinking how can you miss the chance to make a reversible new standard.
Now, while i do like the idea of using only one type of connectors, i still have to admit that purely on mechanical merits, Lightning is a superior connector and if only Apple decided to ditch the licensing revenue and simply allow the world to use it anywhere, it may have won.
USB-C is a very oval tube that goes into a socket with a tongue in the middle. When you drop a plugged-in device and it lands on the connector, the tube bends. The “tongue“ in the receptacle also wears and is prone to failure, especially when kids try to plug miniUSB there repeatedly…
In contrast, Lightning socket contacts sit on the walls of solid receptacle, and the plug is a solid piece with contacts outside, not limited to the hardness of mechanical joint of the tube like USB-C.
Sadly, the moment for Apple was lost esp. since there have been progress on using Thunderbolt on the same (inferior) mechanical base of USB-C
Lightning is too slow these days.
I expect more fund when Europeans realize the weaknesses and implement a similar mechanical layout as Lightning in their next gen of connectors…you just wait…

 

[jlc1978]

Plus what’s the big benefit to the switch?

That's the issue - once a good enough system is in place the costs of switching to better mean you stick to the current standard.

The vast majority aren’t moving devices around countries on a regular basis.

I suspect many cross national boundaries in the EU often enough that a standard was needed. The countries you named, as islands, only really need the same voltage/frequency an still standardize on a different plug design and layout since most travel would be on their island while the standard was being developed.

 

[Dark_Omen]

And outside of MacRumors…I seriously doubt people care. Anecdotal of course…but outside of here, I have literally never heard anyone complain about what charger they have to use. Come on to these boards and people make it sound like the sky is falling

I'd rather just use one cord and brick for my iPad, Mac, and iPhone. I'm sure many others do too. I have to use one cord for my iPad and Mac, and then another type of cord/plug for my iPhone. It seems like a first world problem (it is), but it's highly annoying to have to carry around the extra cord when I travel, or be unable to charge my phone if I forget to bring the lightning cable alongside the USB-C cable.

If you're a tech company, you should allow your customers to charge all of your products with one type of connector; not have one type of connector for everything except one product, in which the outlier product uses an abnormal plug. I could understand having multiple connectors back in the 90's and early 2000s when the capability wasn't there, but with USB-C, it is now. Lighting is a useless technology and there's no need to have it instead of USB-C.

 

[Atomic1977]

Who cares about USB C? The IPad 9 the budget IPad before the 10 gen along with the iPhone 13 still connect via the lightning cable.

 

[rlhamil]

You are free to that opinion and the people of Europe are free to disagree with that.
Where do you draw the line on regulations? Should we still be building houses with asbestos, putting lead in petrol? I mean if people don’t want it they won’t buy it.

You're reaching. Yes, we need about the least number of regulations to eliminate egregious and readily avoidable hazards, and to have SOME standards (weights, measures, wall power plugs and wiring, which side of the road to drive on in a given country, etc).

But none of that really applies here. As I recall, Apple includes with the iPhone a Lightning-to-USB-C cable, which is quite enough that one can use a standard USB-C charger. And Apple accepts their products for recycling, so electronic waste is not a valid argument either - and there could always be a tiny USB-C to Lightning adaptor, and some imaginative company could make an iPhone case that had a storage compartment for that, at which point there would be ZERO need for Lightning cables. This about government making decisions better left to private industry, just because they have the power to do so. It's not the first time those EU control freaks have done this, and given their mindset, it won't be the last. Maybe they think they're making things better, maybe even a lot of Europeans think so too, but keep making things better by government for long enough and you have "1984"...or at least no choices left. That's the problem with a continent that except for Switzerland hasn't had at least a couple centuries of people making their own choices and doing their own thinking without being told what to choose and think. I wish I could get my mom to tell you where that leads...she was born in Cologne in 1925, so maybe you can fill in the rest for yourself.

 

[danny842003]

You're reaching. Yes, we need about the least number of regulations to eliminate egregious and readily avoidable hazards, and to have SOME standards (weights, measures, wall power plugs and wiring, which side of the road to drive on in a given country, etc).

But none of that really applies here. As I recall, Apple includes with the iPhone a Lightning-to-USB-C cable, which is quite enough that one can use a standard USB-C charger. And Apple accepts their products for recycling, so electronic waste is not a valid argument either - and there could always be a tiny USB-C to Lightning adaptor, and some imaginative company could make an iPhone case that had a storage compartment for that, at which point there would be ZERO need for Lightning cables. This about government making decisions better left to private industry, just because they have the power to do so. It's not the first time those EU control freaks have done this, and given their mindset, it won't be the last. Maybe they think they're making things better, maybe even a lot of Europeans think so too, but keep making things better by government for long enough and you have "1984"...or at least no choices left. That's the problem with a continent that except for Switzerland hasn't had at least a couple centuries of people making their own choices and doing their own thinking without being told what to choose and think. I wish I could get my mom to tell you where that leads...she was born in Cologne in 1925, so maybe you can fill in the rest for yourself.

So you’re telling me a forced conversion to USB C is going to lead to a holocaust?
I was born in the EU and spent most of my first 30 years there. I have never had the urge to commit genocide. Not sure what your point is to be honest.

 

[rlhamil]

I'd rather just use one cord and brick for my iPad, Mac, and iPhone. I'm sure many others do too. I have to use one cord for my iPad and Mac, and then another type of cord/plug for my iPhone. It seems like a first world problem (it is), but it's highly annoying to have to carry around the extra cord when I travel, or be unable to charge my phone if I forget to bring the lightning cable alongside the USB-C cable.

If you're a tech company, you should allow your customers to charge all of your products with one type of connector; not have one type of connector for everything except one product, in which the outlier product uses an abnormal plug. I could understand having multiple connectors back in the 90's and early 2000s when the capability wasn't there, but with USB-C, it is now. Lighting is a useless technology and there's no need to have it instead of USB-C.

Waah. I've got a gadget bag that weighs 40 lbs or so (16" MBP, iPad Pro, four port USB-C charger, pocket camera (bigger lens still better in some situations) and its charger cradle (micro-USB, I think), and an assortment of USB-A mini-USB, micro-USB, USB-C cables, etc, not to mention whatever is too valuable for checked baggage or I might want on the plane (decongestant, chewing gum, these days disposable gloves, individually packed sanitizing wipes, and so on). One more cable is NOT going to kill me; in fact, the new bag I got (old one didn't have wheels, that gets rough as the years pass) has places for plenty of cables, all neatly sorted out.

You notice the watch doesn't have USB-C, it has its own wireless charger cable (although can use some other wireless chargers). But then I don't think any other watch has a USB-C connector either, so nobody whines about it. Don't even get me started on the folks that want NO port, just wireless charging. Can't hook up an external device (audio, data transfer, MIDI, etc) with that, and it's slow and the greenies should recognize wireless charging as inefficient and generating MORE waste (the wireless chargers). It's convenient at home, and if your car has one builtin and it fits (mine is too small for an iPhone 12 Pro Max). But heck if I'd travel with it; the only advantage is security (hacked chargers that try to infect your device), and there are blocker plugs for that, also in the gadget bag.

 

[rlhamil]

So you’re telling me a forced conversion to USB C is going to lead to a holocaust?
I was born in the EU and spent most of my first 30 years there. I have never had the urge to commit genocide. Not sure what your point is to be honest.

My point is that if government solves every problem someone wants solved, it is doing WAY TOO MUCH, to the point that the addiction to power will take away more than hazards and inconveniences. Government should deal with the LEAST that is absolutely necessary, and even if that means consumers benefit less or not every need is met, caveat emptor.

Before there were forced conversions of connectors, there were forced conversions in Spain, centuries ago. Force is force, once those who use it get addicted to it.

If I want to buy a phone with a connector made out of flint and gold plated baby dinosaur bones and someone wants to sell it to me, what the HECK business does any government on the planet have specifying otherwise?

 

[fat jez]

Remember, it’s not just aimed at Apple.

Go onto GSM Arena and since last year, 1113 phones were released (including Apple). Then enable the filter for USB-C connectivity and it drops to 855 phones.

So since 2021, 258 phones were released that did NOT have a USB-C connection. That’s 23.18% of phones released.

(This of course assumes that GSM Arena have accurate specs for all the phones in their database).

Every Apple phone or tablet charger I’ve seen has either a USB-A or USB-C connector on it, so it’s only the cable that needs to change. And as others have said, Apple (and many other places too) will recycle their phone and tablet chargers and probably the cables too.

I found this website last night, I’ll be taking my old cables (I found about 10 kettle cables in a box yesterday) and chargers to one of my nearby locations. https://www.recycleyourelectricals....ecycled/it-equipment-smart-devices-recycling/

 

[AndyMacAndMic]

It's not the first time those EU control freaks have done this, and given their mindset, it won't be the last. Maybe they think they're making things better, maybe even a lot of Europeans think so too, but keep making things better by government for long enough and you have "1984"...or at least no choices left. That's the problem with a continent that except for Switzerland hasn't had at least a couple centuries of people making their own choices and doing their own thinking without being told what to choose and think. I wish I could get my mom to tell you where that leads...she was born in Cologne in 1925, so maybe you can fill in the rest for yourself.

If I want to buy a phone with a connector made out of flint and gold plated baby dinosaur bones and someone wants to sell it to me, what the HECK business does any government on the planet have specifying otherwise?

You know this is only about a plug? Try to keep things in perspective. Projecting your frustration with the world (and probably the rest of the universe) on the standardization of a power plug seems like shooting a musquito with a canon.

 

[rlhamil]

You know this is only about a plug? Try to keep things in perspective. Projecting your frustration with the world (and probably the rest of the universe) on the standardization of a power plug seems like shooting a musquito with a canon.

Even trivial abuses of power add up.

 

[jlc1978]

It's not the first time those EU control freaks have done this, and given their mindset, it won't be the last. Maybe they think they're making things better, maybe even a lot of Europeans think so too, but keep making things better by government for long enough and you have "1984"...or at least no choices left.

Setting standards is a reasonable function of government, even if I disagree with the standard or rational.
.

That's the problem with a continent that except for Switzerland hasn't had at least a couple centuries of people making their own choices and doing their own thinking without being told what to choose and think

Except the Swiss were the last to give women the right to vote. Hardly letting all people make "their own choices and doing their own thinking without being told what to choose and think..."

. I wish I could get my mom to tell you where that leads...she was born in Cologne in 1925, so maybe you can fill in the rest for yourself.

Godwin's law.

My point is that if government solves every problem someone wants solved, it is doing WAY TOO MUCH, to the point that the addiction to power will take away more than hazards and inconveniences. Government should deal with the LEAST that is absolutely necessary, and even if that means consumers benefit less or not every need is met, caveat emptor.

The question is "What is the least amount?" In this case, the EU adopted a standard developed by industry, not one developed by some EU technocrat. Even the regulation is very minimal, as companies are free to develop their own implementations beyond the plug and basic PD. Apple could develop a MiFi equivalent for its cable if it chooses to do so.

Nothing in the spec mandates USB-C as the only choice. Apple, or any other manufacturer, could go to wireless only charging and keep Lightening or other non-USB-C plug for data only. Not that that will happen, for technical reasons at least.

Before there were forced conversions of connectors, there were forced conversions in Spain, centuries ago. Force is force, once those who use it get addicted to it.

Really? USB-C is the moral equivalent of the Inquisition?

That argument really jumped the shark.

I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition arguement, but then I bet nobody expected the Spanish Inquisition!

If I want to buy a phone with a connector made out of flint and gold plated baby dinosaur bones and someone wants to sell it to me, what the HECK business does any government on the planet have specifying otherwise?

No one is forcing Europeans to only use USB-C power cords. They are free to buy a non-USB-C device outside of the EU and use it in the EU, as is anyone who travels to the EU.

Even trivial abuses of power add up.

This is hardly an abuse of power.

Is the USB-C connector the right one to standardize on? There are valid points on both sides. Given that was the direction the major players were moving to anyway, defining a minimal set of requirements at least ensures some level of compatibility; even if it doesn't mean one cable will rule them all.

 

[rlhamil]

Setting standards is a reasonable function of government, even if I disagree with the standard or rational.
.


This is hardly an abuse of power.

Is the USB-C connector the right one to standardize on? There are valid points on both sides. Given that was the direction the major players were moving to anyway, defining a minimal set of requirements at least ensures some level of compatibility; even if it doesn't mean one cable will rule them all.

Setting necessary standards may be a reasonable function of government, but standardizing something that doesn't need to be standardized is an unnecessary use of power. Unnecessary use of power is abuse of power. If not stopped with the trivial, sooner or later abuses will rise to the level of something you care very much about.

Yes, it does not end the world whether or not the EU can command USB-C for all phones, but if you don't stand up against something when you barely care, it'll be too late when it's something that matters more.

My personal suspicion is that if it was some European company with a proprietary connector, this wouldn't be happening...

 

[fat jez]

My personal suspicion is that if it was some European company with a proprietary connector, this wouldn't be happening...

Like Nokia?

Nokia 5710 XpressAudio - Full phone specifications

m.gsmarena.com

Still using micro USB, not USB-C. Not proprietary but definitely affected by this new regulation.

Only 17 out of the 38 phones they released since 2021 appear to have a usb-c connector.

 

[Dark_Omen]

Waah. I've got a gadget bag that weighs 40 lbs or so (16" MBP, iPad Pro, four port USB-C charger, pocket camera (bigger lens still better in some situations) and its charger cradle (micro-USB, I think), and an assortment of USB-A mini-USB, micro-USB, USB-C cables, etc, not to mention whatever is too valuable for checked baggage or I might want on the plane (decongestant, chewing gum, these days disposable gloves, individually packed sanitizing wipes, and so on). One more cable is NOT going to kill me; in fact, the new bag I got (old one didn't have wheels, that gets rough as the years pass) has places for plenty of cables, all neatly sorted out.

You notice the watch doesn't have USB-C, it has its own wireless charger cable (although can use some other wireless chargers). But then I don't think any other watch has a USB-C connector either, so nobody whines about it. Don't even get me started on the folks that want NO port, just wireless charging. Can't hook up an external device (audio, data transfer, MIDI, etc) with that, and it's slow and the greenies should recognize wireless charging as inefficient and generating MORE waste (the wireless chargers). It's convenient at home, and if your car has one builtin and it fits (mine is too small for an iPhone 12 Pro Max). But heck if I'd travel with it; the only advantage is security (hacked chargers that try to infect your device), and there are blocker plugs for that, also in the gadget bag.

Right, but most people don't carry around a 40 lb gadget bag. It's great that you have a solution for the issues I mentioned, but it's still easier if Apple were to just put USB-C on their iPhone like they do their Macs and iPads.

I've had an Apple Watch for years and hate the charging mechanism. It seems simple to just click the hockey puck to the back of the watch, but I'd rather have at least the option to plug in a USB-C cord to it.

Apple doesn't want to change the port on the iPhone simply to be annoying... Kinda like the need to use an adapter and Apple Pencil #1 on the brand new iPad that was just released. Apple Pencil #2 will not work with the device.

 

[SactoGuy18]

Like I said earlier, Apple will likely adopt the same USB Type C connector found on the current iPad Air model: support for up to Thunderbolt 3/USB Certified 10 Gbps data transfer speeds and up to 40 watts charging per USB-IF Power Delivery 3.0 specs. With the switch to 3 nm process in 2023, that is now practical.