Apple will have time to comply with European legislation. Since the summer, the European Union has been determined to force the iPhone maker to abandon its proprietary Lightning port. By replacing it with a USB-C charger, Europe wants to impose the use of a universal charger.
Registered in the European Official Journal on December 7, the text reveals that this obligation will only be implemented as of December 28, 2022. This means that Apple has a little more than two years to comply. Without overflowing with joy, the company assured that it will comply with the regulations.
Two exits before the European imperative
Following its usual release schedule, Apple could introduce not one, but two generations of iPhones with its proprietary port. European law would allow the manufacturer to launch its iPhone 15s in September-October 2023 and its iPhone 16s in September-October 2024. Only after these two models will Apple be subject to European Union requirements.
However, the American company should not play the clock too much. Switching from the Lightning port to the USB-C port is already in Apple’s plans. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo assured in May that the 2023 iPhone could already house the universal charger. According to Bloomberg, the new ports are already undergoing tests.
While Apple is trying to integrate a USB-C type charger into its next generation of phones, one model had already been entitled to this specificity. In late 2019, a Swiss robotics student had modified an iPhone X so that it could be charged using a universal charger. The enthusiasm was such that the device had been sold for 75,000 euros on eBay.
Source: BFM TV
