India Considering New Rules That Could Force Apple to Adopt USB-C on iPhone

[MacRumors]

Following in the footsteps of the EU, India is now in the early stages of considering imposing regulations on consumer products sold in the country that force a universal standard charger, including USB-C, by as early as 2024, Mint reports.

The EU had reached an agreement earlier this summer that would force Apple to adopt USB-C on the iPhone and AirPods by fall 2024. While the agreement has been reached, the legislation still needs to be formally approved by the European Parliament and European Council later this year before Apple is forced to change its ways.

Officials in India held a meeting earlier this week with industry stakeholders and popular consumer electronic makers to discuss the possible impacts of a common charger. "The meeting will be more of an explorative nature. We will try to learn from the stakeholders how a common charger can be adopted in India. We will also try to understand their concerns," India's secretary of Consumer Affairs told local media outlets.

The EU and India's push towards adopting a "common port" would impact a wide range of devices, including, more specifically, Apple, which has kept the iPhone with the Lightning port since 2012, while other products, such as the Mac and iPad, have largely moved towards USB-C.

• The EU Wants All Phones to Work With Interoperable Chargers, Here's What That Means for Apple's Lightning Port

Amid pressure to move towards a "common port," rumors from both Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman have said that Apple is testing a USB-C iPhone, which could debut with the iPhone 15 next year. Other Apple products such as the AirPods will follow, according to Kuo.

Article Link: India Considering New Rules That Could Force Apple to Adopt USB-C on iPhone

 

[Mr Fusion]

I agree with the concept of a "common port" in order to cut down on electronic waste (fewer cables for example.)

I have concerns about USB-C port durability though... My 2016 MBP's ports, by the time I sold it the cables would almost fall out of the sockets. And I didn't use them much apart from charging.

I wish Lightning could be upgraded to match the power delivery & transfer speeds USB-C can offer. It seems a lot more durable.

 

[Blue Sun]

Why don’t Apple just pull the trigger and add USB-C to the iPhone 14? The Lightning port is not a selling point, in fact, I won’t buy the iPhone 14 if it has a Lightning port.

 

[BootsWalking]

Apple will have long switched to USB-C across its product line by the time these government regulations work their way through their legislative bureaucracies.

 

[nicolas_s]

Apple will have long switched to USB-C across its product line by the time these government regulations work their way through their legislative bureaucracies.

I think they're just waiting to be forced to switch so they can answer "blame it on the govs" to everyone that will try to blame them for the millions of accessories that will be useless. The same answer for those who will accuse them of planned obsolescence.

 

[Wanted797]

I agree with the concept of a "common port" in order to cut down on electronic waste (fewer cables for example.)

I have concerns about USB-C port durability though... My 2016 MBP's ports, by the time I sold it the cables would almost fall out of the sockets. And I didn't use them much apart from charging.

I wish Lightning could be upgraded to match the power delivery & transfer speeds USB-C can offer. It seems a lot more durable.

Pretty sure lighting was designed with strength in mind hence its a solid piece.
I hate how usb c has that thin sliver inside the port. It’s just asking to break over time.

 

[yellowbunny]

I’m travelling at the moment. Everything else uses USB C apart from out iPhones… lightning seems so backwards now, especially with our iPads now using the more modern connector too.

I guess they want to squeeze as much money out of lightning connectors before everyone can just use other/cheaper accessories.

 

[zakarhino]

I agree with the concept of a "common port" in order to cut down on electronic waste (fewer cables for example.)

I have concerns about USB-C port durability though... My 2016 MBP's ports, by the time I sold it the cables would almost fall out of the sockets. And I didn't use them much apart from charging.

I wish Lightning could be upgraded to match the power delivery & transfer speeds USB-C can offer. It seems a lot more durable.

I absolutely agree, lightning has a much more durable design especially because it snaps into place. I've saved my iPhone a few times because I managed to grab the cable before the phone hits the floor. Lightning is so secure it holds the weight of a 13PM, I doubt you can say the same for practically any USB C android flagship (hoping I get proved wrong on this)

 

[EmotionalSnow]

Why don’t Apple just pull the trigger and add USB-C to the iPhone 14? The Lightning port is not a selling point, in fact, I won’t buy the iPhone 14 if it has a Lightning port.

It's too late to add USB C to the iPhone 14 now. But they could do it for the iPhone 15 if they want to.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

Forcing a standard charger for all is a good start, but smartphone manufacturers should also be forced to make batteries switchable again. For smartphones and tablets batteries are usually the first parts that degrade and "force" people to buy a new device. Manufactures say that with switchable batteries their devices would no longer be water resistant, but that looks like a lame excuse. If a device is water resistant despite having an open USB or lightning port, that proves that should also work for the contacts that connect the batteries.

A normal smartphone battery is built for about 500 charging cycles. After that the capacity is down to about 80% and from there is even goes down faster. So after two or three year you either need a new battery or a new phone. The manufacturers love that. They even profit from making it hard to switch batteries. I hope the EU will stop that practice. Not just for smartphone, but for all devices with rechargable batteries. Electrical toothbrushes for example. That would help the environment much more than a universal charger.

 

[Harvey Zoltan]

Forcing Apple to use USB-C on the iPhone is going to save the planet. It's crucial that the Indian government do this for the sake of the country. What a joke.

 

[CarlJ]

Why don’t Apple just pull the trigger and add USB-C to the iPhone 14? The Lightning port is not a selling point, in fact, I won’t buy the iPhone 14 if it has a Lightning port.

The decision about what kind of port the iPhone 14 will have was made well over a year ago. Unless the iPhone 14 is revealed to be portless (which would be quite a surprise this early), you almost certainly won’t be buying an iPhone 14.

 

[Wildkraut]

I think they're just waiting to be forced to switch so they can answer "blame it on the govs" to everyone that will try to blame them for the millions of accessories that will be useless. The same answer for those who will accuse them of planned obsolescence.

Most accessories are tied to the iDevice form anyway, they become useless once Apple releases new iDevices, and for the rest a $3-$5 adapter does the job.

Apple is waiting because every day they sell new highly licensed lightning stuff, it’s a cash cow nothing more.

 

[wanha]

Why don’t Apple just pull the trigger and add USB-C to the iPhone 14? The Lightning port is not a selling point, in fact, I won’t buy the iPhone 14 if it has a Lightning port.

My impression is that the "USB-C holdout crowd" is extremely small and most people simply don't care either way, so... I wish you all the best in your principled holdout until Apple is finally forced into this move.

 

[wanha]

Most accessories are tied to the iDevice form anyway, they become useless once Apple releases new iDevices, and for the rest a $3-$5 adapter does the job.

Yay for more dongles!

 

[Jackbequickly]

Apple should have changed to a USB-C connector long ago. If they feared the features, they could disarm them so it does nothing but charge. By time Apple gets everything on USB-C, they will have USB-D!

 

[ThailandToo]

The funny thing is Apple is all ready planning on the switch next year. I just wish regulators did it this year so the iPhone 14 models would use USB C. We have been stuck with this proprietary technology for too long as it is. Apple was way ahead of the game with Lightning over Mini USB, but they kept up with it rather than adopting just to make extra licensing money.

No matter what, when Apple does switch, a lot of people will be mad. Places like Japan, UK and USA have extremely high rates of iPhone users. Many of witch will probably not have USB C. At least with regulation, Apple can say wasn’t our fault they made us do it.

 

[Wildkraut]

Yay for more dongles!

As a workaround transition method to end this lightning mess, there is nothing wrong with it. It’s Apple that revolutionized the usage of dongles, don’t blame the wrong one. 😄

 

[DownUnderDan]

Forcing a standard charger for all is a good start, but smartphone manufacturers should also be forced to make batteries switchable again. For smartphones and tablets batteries are usually the first parts that degrade and "force" people to buy a new device. Manufactures say that with switchable batteries their devices would no longer be water resistant, but that looks like a lame excuse. If a device is water resistant despite having an open USB or lightning port, that proves that should also work for the contacts that connect the batteries.

A normal smartphone battery is built for about 500 charging cycles. After that the capacity is down to about 80% and from there is even goes down faster. So after two or three year you either need a new battery or a new phone. The manufacturers love that. They even profit from making it hard to switch batteries. I hope the EU will stop that practice. Not just for smartphone, but for all devices with rechargable batteries. Electrical toothbrushes for example. That would help the environment much more than a universal charger.

Can't help that is coming in the form of legislation in the next few years. E-waste is a huge issue and throwing away electrical devices because they have been engineered not to be easily serviceable is an easy target for legislation.

 

[Wildkraut]

The funny thing is Apple is all ready planning on the switch next year. I just wish regulators did it this year so the iPhone 14 models would use USB C. We have been stuck with this proprietary technology for too long as it is. Apple was way ahead of the game with Lightning over Mini USB, but they kept up with it rather than adopting just to make extra licensing money.

No matter what, when Apple does switch, a lot of people will be mad. Places like Japan, UK and USA have extremely high rates of iPhone users. Many of witch will probably not have USB C. At least with regulation, Apple can say wasn’t our fault they made us do it.

Apple is already planning this only because these regulations are rolling worldwide since 1-2years, they knew it will come, that’s the only reason they are working on it.

 

[amaze1499]

Wouldnt create even more waste, since those rules makes everything else prior incompatible? Considering customers who only upgrade their phone every 3-4 years...

 

[Jackbequickly]

Can't help that is coming in the form of legislation in the next few years. E-waste is a huge issue and throwing away electrical devices because they have been engineered not to be easily serviceable is an easy target for legislation.

I am afraid the day of user replaceable batteries are over. To max out the battery capacity, these batteries are like poured in around the components to use every available cubic millimeter. To have a replaceable battery would increase the size of the phone to unacceptable limits for Apple.

If we did have replaceable batteries, it would create MORE waste due to the obsessed people who have to have 100% all the time. They would be replacing batteries like crazy.

 

[Wildkraut]

Forcing a standard charger for all is a good start, but smartphone manufacturers should also be forced to make batteries switchable again. For smartphones and tablets batteries are usually the first parts that degrade and "force" people to buy a new device. Manufactures say that with switchable batteries their devices would no longer be water resistant, but that looks like a lame excuse. If a device is water resistant despite having an open USB or lightning port, that proves that should also work for the contacts that connect the batteries.

A normal smartphone battery is built for about 500 charging cycles. After that the capacity is down to about 80% and from there is even goes down faster. So after two or three year you either need a new battery or a new phone. The manufacturers love that. They even profit from making it hard to switch batteries. I hope the EU will stop that practice. Not just for smartphone, but for all devices with rechargable batteries. Electrical toothbrushes for example. That would help the environment much more than a universal charger.

And while we are at this, please add replaceable RAM, HDD and overall unglued devices to the list.

 

[jayducharme]

I’d be interested to see how this legislation was written. If all these countries are specifying USB-C only, could that discourage the development of better interfaces in the future?

 

[Paddle1]

I agree with the concept of a "common port" in order to cut down on electronic waste (fewer cables for example.)

I have concerns about USB-C port durability though... My 2016 MBP's ports, by the time I sold it the cables would almost fall out of the sockets. And I didn't use them much apart from charging.

I wish Lightning could be upgraded to match the power delivery & transfer speeds USB-C can offer. It seems a lot more durable.

How long did you have that MacBook? I've heard a lot about how USB-C may loosen but not anything particularly specific.