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The European Commission’s deadline for universal charging ports will potentially affect Apple and other tech manufacturers.
The European Parliament has today (7 June) set a deadline for the compulsory universal adoption of the USB-C charging port for all electronic devices.
By autumn 2024, all new mobile phones, tablets and cameras for sale in the EU must be compatible with USB-C ports. The parliament’s decision to standardise charging across all electronic devices was initially announced last September.
Negotiators in the parliament agreed on the deadline today – news will be unwelcome to Apple. In 2020, the tech giant said that any move to standardise charging ports for EU would force it to stop producing its own-brand Lightning charging cable. It added that making its Lightning cables redundant in the EU would result in an “unprecedented volume of electronic waste”.
The EU is introducing standardised charging ports in an effort to reduce e-waste and make consumers’ lives easier.
Under the new rules, consumers will no longer need a different charging device and cable every time they purchase a new device. They can use one single charger for all of their small and medium-sized portable electronic devices.
As well as mobile phones and tablets, other devices that will be charged solely by USB-C charging ports include any earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers that are rechargeable via a wired cable. Laptops will also have to be adapted to the requirements by 40 months after the rule enters into force.
Consumers will be able to choose whether or not they wish to purchase a new charger with every device they buy. Charging speeds will also be harmonised for devices that support fast charging, allowing users to charge their devices at the same speed with any compatible charger.
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