Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
This does not reduce e-waste. The same number of cords are still in circulation.. Only now there will be tons and tons of lightning cords and devices (treadmills, ellipticals, etc) that are now obsolete.
My gym still has lots of old-style 30-pin Apple connectors on its equipment.

I like the Lightning connector, and it seems more durable than USBC. Vive la difference.
 
  • Like
Reactions: iOS Geek
Well, the simplest thing Apple can do, to reduce waste, is to offer the iPhone (or any new device eg iPad) without any cables and charger - people can buy them optionally if they really need one.
They might also reduce the price then (which they would probably not do ...).
Having only one kind of charging / IO port is not good. The standard micro USB that EU would like to have back in 2009 or so is just junk. My family uses Android phones and the micro USB is the weakest part in those phones. Lightning is much more robust!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Michael Scrip
Nah, go ahead and keep them in your drawer forever.

Whether you throw them away now or throw them away in 15 years they are still going to end up in a landfill. But now you get to buy all new cords because EU says so.

I’ll bet the vast majority already have devices with both connectors in the house. But at least going forward, if something breaks, we’ll only need one kind of cable instead of two different ones.
 
What does this mean for a phone that is completely wireless? (Presumably it would mean that a wireless phone would not be allowed. Because wireless chargers would have more negative impact than just a cable.)

And how many people would be forced to replace their now obsolete collection of charging accessories?

The ideal of a universal charger the same as we have universal electrical outlets is appealing, but the short term disruption it causes would take years to "pay back".
 
I would very much welcome standardization here for several reasons
  • less waste (naturally phones and other 'mobile' devices would ship without chargers and even without cables! Naturally, apple would offer the phone with charger for 50 bucks more instead of lowering the price of the model without cable/charger)
  • less clutter
    • take only one kind of charger and cable on trips!
    • be able to have great confidence that people can help each other out with chargers etc.
  • Lightning is OLD and SLOW. Ever transfered large amounts of data of your new iPhone? Hilariously slow! USB-C offered an order of magnitude faster speeds for years now
  • Apple's own laptops have ONLY USB-C, the iPad Pro has USB-C

it's simply ridiculous. The only reason Apple could possibly have against this is their lightning licensing fees!


Next: Please standardize 220/110V sockets!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: kb923689
When no one asks for it: Apple replaces all ports with USB-C on all MacBooks

When everyone is asking for it: Apple doesn't want to replace the otherwise useless Lightning port with something that not only would be compatible with literally everything, but was also developed by none other than Apple themselves.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kb923689
Seriously...let the market decide on this. Government has no business mandating what consumers can decide for themselves. This most likely will raise the cost of the iPhone in EU countries, as Apple will be forced to make a special version for those markets. Usually when heavy handed government regulation gets involved, prices tend to go up for the consumer.
If Europeans want to pay an extra 100 or 200 euros for their phones, I have no problem with that. I will be annoyed if it slows down innovation for the rest of the world though.

Also, will it be a felony if I take my iPhone with Lightning port to Europe? Forget about guns and bombs, owners of non USB-C ports are the terrorists of the future.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SDJim
Seems like a good idea until someone comes up with an amazing new connector that supports fantastic new features, and the whole world can have it except for Europe.

Arguing what is "the best" connector is a fools errand.

To an engineer, the best connector is one that is guaranteed to be around for a long time. It doesnt matter what it is.
It is the best, because the longevity means it is cost effective to design around it. They can overcome limitations with clever design.

But if there is a new connector every year, nobody can keep up. It isnt economically feasible to try! Which means crappy implementation, and cheap accessories from china.

Like USB C and thunderbolt 3- if we keep both for awhile, we can solve the problem of some things mysteriously not working with other things, even though they all have the same connector.

In short, standards are good and necessary.
 
Well usually I would agree with Apple, BUT the lighting connectors are just much more expensive because Apple charges licensing fees. Thats the only reason they want to keep it. They make money on every damn cable and accessory! I agree paying more for great products, but not for accessories that they don't even make! The only thing that sucks is that I have so many lightning cables and stuff.. but USB C is the future (for now).
 
If Europeans want to pay an extra 100 or 200 euros for their phones, I have no problem with that. I will be annoyed if it slows down innovation for the rest of the world though.

Also, will it be a felony if I take my iPhone with Lightning port to Europe? Forget about guns and bombs, owners of non USB-C ports are the terrorists of the future.
A charging port/conector is an innovation? No man, it is not. USB is developed by a consortium in which Apple participates. All manufactueres work and innovate together to develop a standard by puting capital and ideas. Apple co-developed USB-C. Apple got rit off of all ports on its Macbook in favor of USB-C. I really cant see the hurting innovation argumen here. Probably because it is non-sense. Apple moved from the 30pin conector to the Lighthing in one generation of the iPhone and the world did not fell apart.

FYI, some low budget Android smartphones ship without USB cable to reduce costs and waste. I have tons of these mini USB at home and Im using them in many different devices seemlessly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: itsmilo
Regulations Regulations Regulations!!!
The critical question that ought to be asked by the Commission is, how many of the charging standards/solutions and devices they’re so keen to regulate were invented/innovated in the EU?
 
And to reduce clutter & waste..
Everyone should drink the same beer and eat the same chips and drive the same car & ride the same bike and live in identical houses and have 1.2 children - Where does it stop?
So putting common standards is necessarly bad? I mean, your power sockets are standards, your AA batteries are standard, almost everything around you is standard. Apple is making tons of money from the licensing fee of the Lighthing port, that is everything. If it wasnt for the fee, they would have transitioned the iPhone to USB-C, a couple of generations ago. With your examples you are over exaggerating big time.
 
No, they haven’t.
Lol ok bro, they haven’t been. You win buddy.
[automerge]1582322675[/automerge]
USB-C sucks.
Right. A cable that can deliver internet, power, transfer data between drives, connect GPUs totally sucks. You’re right, Apples **** lightning connector that literally nobody else uses is so much better.
You’re so totally right I honestly wish the rest of the industry consulted with you first. I mean wtf were they thinking right?

great rebuttal though. Clearly you made exceptional points that really demonstrate your ability to have a substantial argument against why USBC shouldn’t be adopted at this point, when over half their products already use it.

you know what, let’s get a 5 wattUSBA to lightning on the MacBook Pro. Let’s just keep it old school. What do you think, about 27 hours to charge to 100% on the battery? What do you think boss? Sounds good? You’re the ****ing expert around here.
 
no thanks to micro or mini usb. micro-USB-C?

I much prefer something like Lightning, even more so than USB-C. the concern for me is devices such as iPad or Mac where the internal connector could break, where as if it were in the cable easier to replace the cable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: emmanoelle
If they are going to do this is should be done gradually the problem is if they choose USB C how dam long before we get a newer better charger?!

Like cars they could say by 2024 everyone has to be on one port.

I honestly think they should be focusing on wireless though. Qi is basically already a standard yes it’s less efficient but maybe the government could help by providing or incentivising public charge points.

The amount of waste of giving people two charges in the box or everyone who uses Lightning having to get chargers again will be massive.
 
Like most government regulations, this one is dumb. Wireless charging is a standard that's being adopted more and more. Connectors shouldn't be standardized. Imagine if they'd made the Apple 30-pin a standard when it was being used?
Wireless charging is very inefficient and needs nearly twice as much energy to charge a device (read costs nearly twice as much and takes nearly twice as long)
 
Arguing what is "the best" connector is a fools errand.

To an engineer, the best connector is one that is guaranteed to be around for a long time. It doesnt matter what it is.
It is the best, because the longevity means it is cost effective to design around it. They can overcome limitations with clever design.

But if there is a new connector every year, nobody can keep up. It isnt economically feasible to try! Which means crappy implementation, and cheap accessories from china.

Like USB C and thunderbolt 3- if we keep both for awhile, we can solve the problem of some things mysteriously not working with other things, even though they all have the same connector.

In short, standards are good and necessary.

the best connector is the one you have with you when you need it...and if it’s universal you’ll always have the right one with you
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.