Home ComputersApple European Commission to table legislation for common charger standard

European Commission to table legislation for common charger standard

by Victor Ng
881 views
iphone lightning charger cable

The European Commission will table a legislation next month that mandates a common charger for smartphones and other devices according to a report by Reuters. 

Naturally, this is going to affect Apple quite a bit since a large portion of their offerings – bar a selection of iPad Pros , iPad Airs, and MacBooks – and their upcoming devices will likely continue to follow suite. 

iPhone usb c charger white and cable

Image credit: PhoneArena

The legislation due to be tabled by the EC will require brands such as Apple to start using Type-C connectors for their products. This comes after lawmakers at the European Parliament voting in favour of a common charger last year, citing environmental benefits and convenience to users as the two driving forces for the movement. 

However, Reuters also points out that a similar effort to unify charger connectors was made in 2018, which failed; and Apple warned at the time that a using a common charger would “hurt innovation” and create a mass of electronic waste.  

If the legislation passes, it is unsure how long Apple has to implement changes, but when they do, it will cost them a portion of their income generated by the Made for iPhone program which requires third-party manufacturers to pay Apple a commission to make lightning cables and other accessories. Type-C is a free, and open standard. 

You may also like