European Union Makes USB-C Mandatory for All Electronic Devices Including Smartphones
Over the weekend, the European Union (EU) implemented a new law that makes the USB-C port mandatory for a range of electronic devices including smartphones.
As of Saturday (December 28), the EU officially adopted the USB-C as the common standard. The mandate means that all small and medium-sized portable electronic devices must be sold with USB-C charging ports in the EU.
The regulation explicitly covers handheld mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, handheld videogame consoles, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, and earbuds that are “rechargeable with a wired cable and can operate with a power delivery of up to 100 watts.”
Under the EU rules, consumers will no longer need a different charger for various electronic devices and customers can also opt out of receiving a new charger with each device they buy.
According to Euro News, laptop manufacturers will face the same rules as of 28 April 2026.
In 2022, the European Parliament and member states voted overwhelmingly in favor of scrapping alternative charging methods in a bid to reduce environmental waste and solve market fragmentation.
“These rules are about tackling the tonnes of waste generated by discarded chargers each year and saving an estimated €250 million for EU households by eliminating unnecessary charger purchases each year,” Anna Cavazzini, chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, says in a statement.
A Blow for Apple’s Lighting Port
The move was described as a huge blow to Apple and its proprietary Lightning port. Under the new rule, any iPhones sold after December 28, 2024, including older models, must have a USB-C port.
While the latest iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models already have USB-C ports, the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14, and the current iPhone SE still use the older Lightning port.
According to a report by MacRumors, all of Apple’s devices utilizing Lightning ports were pulled from the company’s stores in most EU countries in the days before the USB-C regulation came into force.
The iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and third-generation iPhone SE are no longer listed on Apple’s online store in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and most other EU countries. The devices have also been unlisted in a few other countries that participate in the EU’s single market, such as Switzerland.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
