No more Lightning connector?

EC resurrects plans for universal smartphone charger

The European Commission (EC) has revealed a rule proposal that would force all smartphones sold in the EU to use USB-C chargers. The EC’s proposal states this would cut down on waste by enabling customers to reuse old chargers when they buy a new device.

However, Apple has struck back, saying it would harm innovation by forcing manufacturers into a single standard and prevent higher-quality alternatives from being developed.

Apple is not the only company that would be affected. According to an EC study from 2019, around half of all mobile phone chargers sold in the EU in 2018 used USB Micro-B connectors, 29% had USB-C connectors, while 21% were Lightning-equipped iPhones. Judging by that, many Android models will be affected going forward.

Similar attempts were made by the EC in 2014 and 2018, but fell flat due in part

The EC’s rule proposal could mean that all smartphones have to use USB-C chargers. to problems with universal charger longevity. Now, the popular USB-C is thought to solve many of these issues. According to Digital Europe and the Mobile & Wireless Forum, 68% of new phones from Huawei, LG, Samsung, and Xiaomi released in 2019 used USB-C. Could the iPhone be next?