Gadgets
Apple is opposed to the EU's proposals to create a universal charging connector for all devices.
In the face of opposition from Apple, the European Commission has proposed a single charger connector for all mobile phones, tablets, and headphones.
An 18-page directive released on Thursday said a common charger for all brands “would benefit consumers and reduce electronic waste”. It is estimated that it will save EU customers €250 million (£214 million) each year.
The regulation will require all devices to adopt USB-C connectors, which are presently used by Android phones. It would compel Apple gadgets that utilise lightning connections to have USB-C connectors in EU nations.
When the law goes into effect, there will be a two-year transition period during which manufacturers must adapt their gadgets to the single standard.
Apple has filed an objection. In a statement it said: “We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world.”
It was also concerned about the two-year transition period for businesses to comply.
The commission vice-president, Margrethe Vestager, defended the plan. She said: “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.”
The current system allows Apple to use “proprietary charging interfaces”. The new directive complains that this prevents full interoperability. It says it also ignores the “environmental issues arising from the continued existence of those different charging interfaces.”
The directive says Apple’s “proprietary solutions” are “no longer justified in view of the technical advantages provided by the introduction of the USB-C interface”.
Without mentioning Apple by name, it makes clear that the company has resisted the change. It says: “Those manufacturers that have invested heavily in proprietary charging technology appear less keen, since the high charging performance of their bundled phones and EPS [external power supply] is an important part of their marketing strategy.”
It adds: “This directive aims to reduce the e-waste generated by the sale of radio equipment and to reduce the extraction of raw materials and the CO2 emissions generated by the production, transportation and disposal of chargers, thereby promoting a circular economy.”
According to a 2019 Commission research, half of the chargers sold with mobile phones in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, 29 percent had a USB-C connector, and 21 percent had a lightning connector.
