Has Apple found a way to circumvent European regulations? On October 4, MEPs adopted a text imposing a universal charger, forcing all manufacturers of smartphones, tablets and audio headsets to use a single port, in USB-C format.
The aim of the text is “to make EU products more sustainable, reduce e-waste and make life easier for consumers,” according to the European Parliament website. The biggest player and only phone maker being targeted is Apple, which, in its iPhones, continues to integrate a “home” connection called Lightning.
But, according to LFI MEP Leïla Chaibi, referring to “various outlets”, “Apple would consider circumventing this regulation for its future iPhones 15 – announced for September 2023 – through a proprietary ecosystem based on certified USB-C accessories. Others cables would have limited upload and transfer speeds.
According to the leaker ShrimpApplePro on Twitter, “USB-C cables with MFI (“Made for iPhone,” Apple certification, editor’s note) are in the works.” “Cables without MFI will be limited by software in terms of data and upload speed,” the well-known tech expert said. Apple has yet to confirm this rumor.
Fast charging will be harmonized
The European text, however, will not enter into force until December 28, 2024. Which means that, even if Apple developed MFI USB-C cables for the iPhone 15, it would not circumvent European regulations. Currently, most manufacturers have their own fast charging technology.
Following its usual release schedule, Apple could even launch not one, but two generations of iPhone with the release of the iPhone 16 in September-October 2024. The European Union will not impose a USB-C cable on Apple before iPhone 17, and the American manufacturer should not be able to circumvent it in all cases.
Anyway, fast charging technology will be harmonized in two years. “The charging speed will be the same for all devices with fast charging. Users will be able to charge their device at the same speed with any compatible charger,” according to a press release from the European Parliament.
Source: BFM TV
