iPhone will catch a sales block in EU countries if Apple limits USB-C
The European Union is taking measures to ensure that Apple won't restrict charging and data transfer rates via USB-C for the iPhone 15 and later.
The EU warns Apple not to throttle USB-C
Apple is likely working on adding USB-C accessories to its Made for iPhone (MFi) program that certifies products that meet quality standards. In February, a rumor claimed that Apple would throttle charging and data transfer speeds for non-certified USB-C cables, but the EU is nipping that in the bud.
According to Die Zeit, EU Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton wrote a letter to Apple to say that restrictions that involve charging are unacceptable. If Apple imposes such limitations, Breton says that the EU will prevent iPhones from being sold in member countries.
"Devices that do not meet the requirements for the uniform charger are not approved on the EU market," Breton said. The Commission reportedly reminded Apple of this in March, and Anna Cavazzini, a Green politician who chairs the EU Parliament's Internal Market Committee, accused Apple of attempting to circumvent EU regulations.
Before the end of the year, the EU intends to publish a guide to ensure a "uniform interpretation of the legislation." After 2024, electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and others must charge via USB-C.
The EU Council finalized approval of the common charger regulation in October 2022.
According to the proposal, devices will be required to have USB-C ports. Having one standardized connector will enable chargers to be used with multiple devices, thereby enhancing convenience for consumers and significantly reducing electronic waste.
It's unclear whether Apple will include a USB-C port with the iPhone 15 models since it doesn't have to comply with the EU regulation until after 2024. Although the deadline for making changes to local laws to comply with regulations is December 28, 2023, member states are not obligated to enforce these laws until December 28, 2024.
The iPhone 16 might not have it either since that will be released in the fall of 2024, according to Apple's product schedule. However, iPhones must include a USB-C port starting with the iPhone 17, which will be released in 2025.
Read on AppleInsider
The EU warns Apple not to throttle USB-C
Apple is likely working on adding USB-C accessories to its Made for iPhone (MFi) program that certifies products that meet quality standards. In February, a rumor claimed that Apple would throttle charging and data transfer speeds for non-certified USB-C cables, but the EU is nipping that in the bud.
According to Die Zeit, EU Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton wrote a letter to Apple to say that restrictions that involve charging are unacceptable. If Apple imposes such limitations, Breton says that the EU will prevent iPhones from being sold in member countries.
"Devices that do not meet the requirements for the uniform charger are not approved on the EU market," Breton said. The Commission reportedly reminded Apple of this in March, and Anna Cavazzini, a Green politician who chairs the EU Parliament's Internal Market Committee, accused Apple of attempting to circumvent EU regulations.
Before the end of the year, the EU intends to publish a guide to ensure a "uniform interpretation of the legislation." After 2024, electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and others must charge via USB-C.
The EU Council finalized approval of the common charger regulation in October 2022.
According to the proposal, devices will be required to have USB-C ports. Having one standardized connector will enable chargers to be used with multiple devices, thereby enhancing convenience for consumers and significantly reducing electronic waste.
It's unclear whether Apple will include a USB-C port with the iPhone 15 models since it doesn't have to comply with the EU regulation until after 2024. Although the deadline for making changes to local laws to comply with regulations is December 28, 2023, member states are not obligated to enforce these laws until December 28, 2024.
The iPhone 16 might not have it either since that will be released in the fall of 2024, according to Apple's product schedule. However, iPhones must include a USB-C port starting with the iPhone 17, which will be released in 2025.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
This entire rumor is based on a misunderstanding. Apple need to switch to USB-C in a way that maintains backwards compatibility with old Lightning accessories, so yes compatible MFi cables are still needed.
Besides, everyone knows that there are many different kinds of USB-C cable, even if they all have plugs that look the same. Not all offer maximum data and charging speeds. How can people know what a cable can do? Right now they don’t. The USB consortium failed! So there is obviously still a place for MFi type labelling so that consumers know they are buying a cable that is fully capable with iPhone. That’s not the same thing as limiting capable cables. Capable cables will obviously work. They are just providing a way of identifying capable cables, which is what the USB consortium have failed to do.
Well stated.
For MFi, they care a lot more about manufacturing standards (label ensures a minimum level of functionality) and security implications. I kind of suspect the phones are only going to have a USB 2 channel (look at the USB-C charging cable for their laptops), but maybe a limited version of Thunderbolt. After all, they have their own Thunderbolt controller core and their own IOMMU to lock it down. Maybe the phones get a two-lane controller instead of the full four-lane controller the tablets, laptops, and desktops get. Then to use Apple's extensions to the Thunderbolt standard, you have to be MFi-certified. Think like how the watch charger and phone-MagSafe both involve proprietary extensions of Qi.
BTW, I do realize that a simple connector/cable adapter could extend the lives of older chargers. I suppose the EU regulation does not allow bundling of USB-C adapters for compliance, otherwise iPhones would already be considered compliant, right? I recall that Apple has (or had) an adapter for lightning to micro-USB. I think to meet some earlier EU regulation? It was available for when there were a number of chargers out there with micro-USB (ugh, yes, micro-USB):
https://www.apple.com/au/shop/product/MD820AM/A/lightning-to-micro-usb-adapter
Also, Apple devices clearly have the ability to block data, only accepting power and will ask you if you want the devices connected to be "trusted" if data is to be used as well.
"Apple need to switch to USB-C in a way that maintains backwards compatibility with old Lightning accessories, so yes compatible MFi cables are still needed."
They use can adaptors. The USB-C cable itself is not the issue.
Stop making a bigger deal out of it.
Apple should kill the physical port on it’s non-Pro models this year to get ahead of the issue.
Apple has the option of a software change to make the lightning connector "data only". If they do that, all current iPhone models would meet the current spec, without any hardware changes whatsoever.
b) Not every device needs or can use “faster”, forcing inappropriate conformity drives up costs and wastes materials.
c) Cables wear, no matter what, so the obsession with “the charger” is odd. All my chargers still work, some going back to the ‘80s. Yet I see no proposals for reusing these. I see no requirement to produce a low cost adapter for Lightning to USB-C. Chargers and cables that were all interoperable and replaceable via USB-A were given a huge nudge forward by Apple. Before that, there were endless changes to USB and proprietary connectors in the computing space. Where was the concern then?
d) If efficiency, standardization, and waste management were the real concerns, why not authorize one provider of phone equipment? Ban all e-trash Android phones. You get one phone, period. That’s efficient.
PS - Next time you say something as dumb as “terrible for the environment” you’d better have a study or two that proves that. The fact is that ALL cables, chargers, and electronics are harmful to the environment. It’s mostly a matter of degree, given production techniques and materials science. Changing ports will do squat to make a difference at this stage of climate change, particularly looking at the lag time for effects.
If you’re genuinely concerned about your impact on the environment you wouldn’t be buying the latest and greatest. Heck, you wouldn’t be living the lifestyle you and most Europeans are living. So please, stop fracking whining about the environment when it comes to charging cables.
Waiting to see this document that will clarify it all. A phone OEM can choose to only support 5W charging. You plug in the cable, it will charge a 10 WHr battery in about 3 hours. Another phone OEM can choose to support up to 50W. Nice feature. Will charge a 10 WHr battery in 20 minutes. What criteria determines the charging rate?
Just seems inevitable that will have to mandate minimum charging power, a really lowball number, like 5 W. The alternative is nuts and the industry should sue them.
Yes, one must be careful in how the rules are worded in order to address this issue. It is also unclear as to whether it is reasonable for Apple to require extra certification for higher power charging. Can Apple use a charging scheme that is a superset of USB-C, yet still compatible with it?