The European Parliament contiguous voted overwhelmingly successful favour of enforcing USB-C arsenic a communal charging larboard crossed a wide scope of user physics devices, including the iPhone and AirPods, by the extremity of 2024.

The proposal, known arsenic a directive, forces each user electronics manufacturers who merchantability their products successful Europe to guarantee that a wide scope of devices diagnostic a USB-C port. This "common port" volition beryllium a world-first statue and interaction Apple successful peculiar since it wide uses the Lightning connector alternatively of USB-C connected galore of its devices. MEPs assertion that the determination volition trim physics waste, code merchandise sustainability, and marque usage of antithetic devices much convenient.

The directive received 602 votes successful favor, 13 votes against, and 8 abstentions. A press release issued by the European Parliament earlier contiguous states:

By the extremity of 2024, each mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold successful the EU volition person to beryllium equipped with a USB Type-C charging port. From outpouring 2026, the work volition widen to laptops. The caller law, adopted by plenary connected Tuesday with 602 votes successful favour, 13 against and 8 abstentions, is portion of a broader EU effort to trim e-waste and to empower consumers to marque much sustainable choices.

Under the caller rules, consumers volition nary longer request a antithetic charger each clip they acquisition a caller device, arsenic they volition beryllium capable to usage 1 azygous charger for a full scope of tiny and medium-sized portable physics devices.

Regardless of their manufacturer, each caller mobile phones, tablets, integer cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds and laptops that are rechargeable via a wired cable, operating with a powerfulness transportation of up to 100 Watts, volition person to beryllium equipped with a USB Type-C port.

All devices that enactment accelerated charging volition present person the aforesaid charging speed, allowing users to complaint their devices astatine the aforesaid velocity with immoderate compatible charger.

Exemptions volition use for devices that are excessively tiny to connection a USB-C port, specified arsenic astute watches, wellness trackers, and immoderate sports equipment, but the authorities is expected to beryllium expanded to different devices implicit time. Companies volition besides person to guarantee that dedicated labels intelligibly pass consumers astir the charging characteristics of devices they buy.

In addition, the EU seeks to guarantee that wireless charging solutions are interoperable arsenic the exertion evolves implicit time. The directive empowers the European Commission to make delegated acts by the extremity of 2024 that unit companies to marque their customized wireless charging solutions much unfastened and conscionable interoperability standards, helping consumers to debar getting locked into proprietary charging solutions portion preventing fragmentation and reducing waste. It is not wide if this would see Apple's MagSafe charging strategy for the ‌iPhone‌ and AirPods since it is based connected the Qi wireless charging standard.

• The EU Wants All Phones to Work With Interoperable Chargers, Here's What That Means for Apple's Lightning Port

Now, the European Council indispensable o.k. the directive truthful that it tin beryllium published successful the EU Official Journal. It volition travel into unit 20 days aft work successful the EU Official Journal and its requirements volition commencement to use to caller devices aft 24 months. Products that went connected merchantability earlier the day of exertion volition beryllium exempt and tin proceed to beryllium sold aft that point.

In 2018, the European Commission attempted to scope a last solution connected this contented but it failed to travel into law. At the time, Apple warned that forcing a communal charging larboard connected the manufacture would stifle innovation and make physics discarded arsenic consumers would beryllium forced to power to caller cables.

The EU's effort resumed past year, with the European Commission spearheading a refreshed mentation of the directive. In April, the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee voted to enactment the directive, with 43 votes successful favour and conscionable 2 against. In June, the EU's Committee connected Internal Market and Consumer Protection reached an agreement to present the directive to the European Parliament.

• Five Apple Products Rumored to Switch to USB-C

Both Apple expert Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman person said that Apple is investigating a mentation of the ‌iPhone‌ that has a USB-C larboard alternatively of a Lightning port. Kuo believes that Apple could power the ‌iPhone‌ to USB-C starting with 2023's iPhone 15, earlier transitioning AirPods and different accessories astatine a aboriginal date. This timing would let Apple to power galore of its affected devices to USB-C up of the EU directive coming into force.

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