The European Commission will introduce a bill next month to establish a common charger for cell phones and other electronic devices within the 27-nation bloc, and that could pose a problem for Apple.
The legislation would establish a common charging port for all mobile phones and other affected devices in all European Union countries. The unification of charger standards would enable, in particular, reduce your environmental impact, improve user comfort and make it easier for users to change brands.
As early as 2014, the European Union committed to imposing a universal smartphone charger within 3 years, but the idea of ​​a single charger obviously never succeeded.. In fact, we know that Apple clings to its Lightning size at all costs and is firmly opposed to this new measure.
Apple may be forced to abandon Lightning
If the EU decision were validated, it would impact Apple more than its Android rivals, since almost all of them already use a USB-C port. A 2019 European Commission impact assessment study found that half of the charging cables sold with mobile phones had a micro-B USB connector, 29% a USB-C connector, and 21% a Lightning connector.
Today, the number of devices sold with a USB-C charger has dramatically increased, while the number of devices sold with a micro-USB charger has decreased. So there’s no doubt that if the EU were to impose a universal charger, it would be USB-C.
It’s strange to see Apple struggling to defend its proprietary technology, while the American manufacturer has already equipped its iPads and MacBooks with USB-C connectors. Its arrival on the iPhone would, however, standardize the charging pattern across all of its devices. As early as last year, the EU wanted to force Apple to abandon the Lightning port for a universal charger, but no concrete action was taken.
The EU’s struggle to impose a common charger started nearly a decade ago. Apple, Samsung, Huawei and Nokia also signed a voluntary memorandum of understanding aimed at harmonizing chargers, but it was unsuccessful. The EU believes that if companies do not adopt a common charger on their own, they will be forced to do so..
Source: GSMArena