It was a long time coming, but today the European Parliament is shooting the bullet. All iPhone models launched by Apple starting in 2025 must have a USB-C connector. And it won’t stop there.
During the vote, it became clear that the European Parliament was anything but divided. There were 603 members voting for the bill and only 13 voting against it.
Apple must go without Lightning port from 2025
The European Parliament just announced, through a press release, that USB-C will become the standard in Europe. From the end of 2024, no alternatives must be available on the market and all companies must have made the switch.
You could include lots of companies, but everyone knows that the law is mainly aimed at Apple. The American company uses its own Lighting port connection for the iPhone. So, according to Parliament, that must end by the end of 2024.
(Image: Mark Hofman/OMT)
Earlier, reliable sources indicated that Apple is looking at options for using the connector on the iPhone starting in 2023.
It’s not just the iPhone that needs to change
Apple doesn’t just need to fix the iPhone over the next two years. The American company must also change the Lightning connector on the AirPods. This is because the new law applies to all electronic devices.
Although some exceptions can be found. Devices too small for a USB-C connector, for example smartwatches and health trackers, do not have to comply with the law.
Is Apple switching to MagSafe with the iPhone?
The big question, of course, is what the alternative is going to be. Will Apple switch and release an iPhone with USB-C in 2023 or 2024, or will it bet on MagSafe? While the former is probably the most obvious, the likelihood of the latter seems high.
Indeed, since the launch of MagSafe, there has been little benefit to the charging method. The iPhone is still attached to a charger, the charging process is less durable and charging speeds are slower.
As far as we are concerned, Apple has been preparing for life without a Lighting port and without a USB-C connector since 2020. Wondering what we said about that at the time? You can read it in the article below:
