Technology

Apple waiting: European Union decides this June 7 on universal connector for phones

By on Friday, June 3, 2022

With this measure, Apple will be forced to change the iPhone connector to the USB-C standard.

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For years, Apple stayed away from universal cell phone systems to give preference to its “lightning” standard, a USB-based technology that became the differential of the iPhone for charging for more than a decade. However, this alternate path will come to an end with the decision of the European Community, which has long tried to push the debate for the standardization of USB-C in mobile devices.

According to Reuters , this June 7 representatives of the member countries of the European Union will meet to establish a single position on the common connector for headphones, tablets and phones. This measure will directly impact the Apple catalog.

This debate has been going on for generations after the micro USB standard was adopted in the late 2000s among Android phone builders. Prior to this agreement, each cell phone had a unique connector and could not be used with another model or brand.

This Tuesday the 7th, a dialogue will be held between EU representatives and European legislators, an indicator that the media indicates as “a strong impulse to reach an agreement”, according to the sources consulted.

iPhone versus Android: the charger

Until now, Apple phones maintain the “lightning” standard for power charging and data transfer. This cable, the only accessory that comes with the equipment in the package, has a USB-C tip at the other end.

For Apple, the requirement of a single connection point “goes against innovation” and that this measure will negatively impact consumers globally. In addition, they refer that this measure would create a “mountain of electronic waste”.

In September 2021, the European Union had imposed a 24-month deadline for the implementation of the USB-C port in Apple phones, a connector widely used by companies worldwide and that has become a standard in laptops, headphones, phones, rechargeable batteries, remote controls, audio speakers and other devices.

Wireless charging and connectors for laptops will be another topic to be discussed in these sessions, although it is estimated that they depend on a more technical approach due to the nature of this type of technology. The goal is to harmonize the standard by 2025.

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