Well, now it’s official. No new iPhone model packing Apple’s Lighting port can be sold in the European Union after December 28 2024.
The EU has finally put a date on its new mandate which puts the final nail in the coffin of the charging and connectivity standard on the continent, The Verge reports.
While reports have suggested Apple will switch to USB-C as soon as next year’s iPhone 15 range, this almost guarantees Apple will drop its proprietary standard at this point.
It’s very unlikely Apple would seek to offer two different solutions, with USB-C inside the EU and Lighting outside of the EU in countries like the UK and USA. Especially given the company is slowly phasing out Lightning in other products like the iPad range. Apple has also been been reportedly keen on launching a completely port-free iPhone, which would rely solely on wireless charging.
The European Commission published this date today on its European Law website. Of course the ruling applies to all mobile devices and not just Apple. The difference is, the vast majority of Android manufacturers are already leveraging USB-C for charging purposes.
The decision hasn’t been made just to spite Apple, but in the hopes of ensuring the standardised charging solution across the industry would dramatically cut down on electronic waste ending up in landfill.
