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(Pocket-lint) – The European Commission is to put forward legislation to ban the use of chargers other than USB-C for products released in EU states.
It proposes that only USB-C charging will be allowed – which will prevent Apple from releasing future iPhones sporting Lightning, for example.
Over the last few years, the Commisson has been working with manufacturers who have voluntarily ditched rival charging technologies. It claims to have reduced the number of different mobile phone charger types from 30 down to just three. Now it feels it needs legislation to force remaining companies to comply with a “common charging solution”.
“European consumers were frustrated long enough about incompatible chargers piling up in their drawers. We gave industry plenty of time to come up with their own solutions, now time is ripe for legislative action for a common charger. This is an important win for our consumers and environment and in line with our green and digital ambitions,” said the executive vice president for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager.
The new iPhone 13 family of devices do support Lightning charging, although they are also compatible with Qi wireless charging pads and Apple’s own MagSafe.
The Commission also proposes that fast charging technology is “harmonised’ across brands: “[It] will help prevent that different producers unjustifiably limit the charging speed and will help to ensure that charging speed is the same when using any compatible charger for a device,” it stated in a press release.
Ultimately, the proposals might not come to much any time soon. Such legislative change will need to be adopted by the European Parliament and the Council first, then there will be a two-year transition period for the industry to adapt. So, iPhone 16 will have USB-C then. Probably.
Writing by Rik Henderson. Originally published on .
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