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Recently, the European Union parliament has voted to standardise the USB-C charging port for all portable electronic devices (including laptops) by the end of 2024. The main goal of this legislation is to reduce e-waste, but there are many other positive changes coming as a result it. One of which is the end of Apple’s “monopoly” on chargers.
Back in 2007, when the first iPhone hit the market, mobile phone companies tended to have different chargers for their products. With the evolution of the smartphone, some chargers got more common than other, eventually settling on the microUSB (Android devices) and Lighting (Apple devices) chargers for a while. The biggest problem here was that, Apple was controlling their chargers and didn’t share their technology, which meant iPhone and Android users couldn’t use their chargers interchangeably and had to have chargers for their own devices. Which also meant more waist created for example by people who switched platforms and had to get new chargers.
When the USB-C started appearing in new smartphones, people quickly realised that it might be the near future for mobile chargers. Even Apple introduced it to their laptops. So when the EU announced the plans to standardise USB-C, people realised that means the end of the ”monopoly” on iPhone chargers for Apple, and even the father of the iPod and former Apple VP, Tony Fadell, said it is the “right thing” to do.
It’s certainly a big and expensive change for apple because the European market’s their huge customer and it doesn’t only include smartphones but also other devices like tablets, headphones.
It leaves the door open to remove the wired charging and offer portless, only wireless products. Will the company decide to take this step?
So far, many of the EU’s ideas were questionable. However, I really liked this plan above. Not only it’s reducing the waste but also it’ll be the end of those wires which are compatible with only one group of devices in our homes.
Anyway, how Apple will react? We’ll see in the near future.
Since the legislation is set to enter into force by the end of 2024, and Apple has accustomed us to unconventional changes in their smartphones, I believe that they will give up on any physical charging port. I think the only way it will be possible to charge an iPhone will be via wireless charging
Is this happening only in the EU Because apple can just have a monopoly on the rest of the world with their charging cables? it will definitely affect them but what about the rest of the world?
It is certainly the right thing to do. Apple’s poor quality cables have not changed their formula for years. They were getting torn in under 1 year of active use making people buy new cables over and over again. While Android devices have transferred to USB-c swiftly along with laptops, the increasing number of USB-c users set it as a new standard of cables. It is very convenient to have an identically two-ended cable that fits all, charging all your devices, information transfer, and sound transfer. And not only convenient but also eco-friendly as one user now requires fewer cables for his hardware. It is also beneficial for businesses that are having hardware in offices as it would decrease costs of hardware maintenance, as well as individuals as it would mean less littering with endless cables at their homes. I am honestly disappointed that it took so long for apple to realize that it is unavoidable for them to transfer to USB-c though it is understandable for the fact that it is a large income source for this corporation.