Apple will listen but reluctantly and without responding if it will be limited to Europe .
All the efforts of the European Union will finally be rewarded with the arrival of the USB-C connector on the iPhone .
After a directive that regulates the use of this connector instead of Lightning from 2024, Apple confirmed that it will obey.
“Obviously, we will have to pay attention. We don’t have a choice, like we do around the world, to obey local laws, but we think it would have been better for the environment and our customers if a government didn’t mandate it,” Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of global marketing, told Wall . StreetJournal .
Joswiak was upset at “feeling obligated by a government,” saying Lightning is a “great connector” on more than a billion devices.
Apple ‘s top manager assured that 10 years ago the European Union wanted micro-USB to become the common connector, which would have prevented the appearance of Lightning and USB-C.
And yes, 10 years ago, Apple participated in an understanding with other brands to adopt a common connector, but it was left with an unfulfilled commitment in the iPhone while other brands migrated to USB-C . That is why the European Union now created a directive.
iPhone with USB-C… only for Europe?
On the exact date of an iPhone with USB-C , Apple did not want to reveal more details.
The European Union directive provides for the sale of USB-C devices by the end of 2024, so Apple could even wait for the iPhone 16 .
Also, Apple has been very careful not to confirm that the USB-C connector will be available on iPhones around the world. This iPhone could even be only for Europe.
“The Europeans are the ones who dictate the dates for European clients,” Joswiak said.
Recall that with the iPhone 14 the company has shown that it can send different products to different markets, with the US version only compatible with eSIM.
The mess of Apple connectors
Apple has been untangling the tangle of cables in its devices. For years, Lightning was their most popular connector, but USB-C has been gaining ground, particularly on their laptops.
In 2022, all iPad models have a USB-C connector, a connector that reaches accessories such as the new Apple TV remote control .
And yes, Lightning remains in iPhones , a proprietary connector that has earned Apple a decade of royalties from accessory makers.