Putting the ‘universal’ in USB Apple may be forced to use USB-C ports on iPhones photo from BBC
Cyber World

Putting the ‘universal’ in USB: Apple may be forced to use USB-C ports on iPhones

Sep 24, 2021, 12:29 PM
Heloise Diamante

Heloise Diamante

Writer

While the new rules could take years to enforce, recent innovations made it possible for devices to be charged faster and less often making it possible for a user to utilize two chargers at most.

HAILED as the “universal” charger, the Universal Serial Bus Type C (USB-C) might soon be forced upon every phone manufacturer according to the latest proposal of the European Union.

The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, filed a proposal to force all manufacturers to use a USB-C charging port for smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers, and handheld video games.

According to the EU, they have been working on making the USB-C post a world standard for more than 10 years, citing environmental benefits and household savings.

During that time, the number of different charging ports for mobile devices on the market has declined from 30 to three.

While the new rules could take years to enforce, recent innovations made it possible for devices to be charged faster and less often making it possible for a user to utilize two chargers at most.

"My job is to kill off these sea snakes whenever I can," Commission industry chief Thierry Breton said pointing to a pile of multiple charging cables.

As most devices are already using USB-C ports, all heads turned to Apple who has insisted on using their Lightning port for their devices including their iPhones.

But it’s not true that Apple has never once tried on adapting the USB-C on their devices like the newly released iPad Mini but their most popular product, the iPhone, still uses Lightning.

As expected, Apple has pushed back with concerns that having a universal connector “stifles innovation” and claims it could harm consumers.

The company also calls out the 24-month period for companies to comply with the legislation once it is adopted.

EU dismissed Apple’s comment as old refrains.

In hindsight, the company has used the same Lightning connector since 2012 and has not innovated the 30-pin dock since.

In 2020, Apple made a claim that abandoning the Lightning cable would create an "unprecedented amount of electronic waste" in comparison to the EU’s estimate that having different cables generate more than 51,000 tonnes of waste per year.

Tags: #chargers, #USB-C, #Apple, #iPhone, #EuropeanUnion


We take a stand
OpinYon News logo

Designed and developed by Simmer Studios.

© 2024 OpinYon News. All rights reserved.