Get ready to say goodbye to the Lightning adapter in the iPhone 16, and possibly even the iPhone 14 or 15. New EU regulations, if approved, will mean that all smartphones sold in the European Union must have USB-C charging ports by the end of 2024, and that includes iPhones.
What's more, Apple can't dodge the rules with a dongle, either: if the regulations are approved by the European Council and European Parliament, which is very likely, any phone with a wired charger must be USB-C. The goal is to reduce electronic waste from unnecessary chargers and cables.
Apple's already working on it. Well connected industry analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman have both reported on Apple testing USB-C iPhones, and current rumours suggest we'll see the devices in 2023 with the launch of the iPhone 15. That's assuming the iPhone 15 has a charging port at all.
Why this EU regulation affects everyone everywhere all of the time
The EU can't compel companies to change the way they do things if they're not based in the European Union. But it can compel them to change the products they sell in the EU – so if Apple wants to continue selling iPhones in Europe, it'll need to have USB-C for wired charging. And Apple does want to continue selling iPhones in Europe, because it's a huge market.
Although the UK won't be following the EU's lead – the BBC reports that our politicians appear to be taking a brave stand against the tyranny of sensible chargers because it'll "stifle innovation", apparently – it will apply in Northern Ireland, and any changes Apple makes are likely to be global anyway. So we'll be getting USB-C whether the UK government likes it or not.
It'll be interesting to see what Apple does here, because it's possible that Apple might do to the wired charger what it did to the headphone jack in the iPhone 7 and go all-in on wireless everything. I don't think it will, not least because there's a lot of wired CarPlay vehicles and wired iPhone accessories out there, but with Apple anything's possible – and with earbuds and headphones such as AirPods, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max already connecting wirelessly, it's hardly an outlandish idea. I can't remember the last time I plugged the lightning cable into my MagSafe-enabled iPhone 13. While Apple has already embraced USB-C for its MacBooks and recent iPads, it might decide to cut the cables completely when it comes to iPhone.
-
Quietly, this Chinese brand built one of the most comprehensive health wearable systems in the worldWith the launch of the Distributed Super-Sensing Module, Huawei returns to the top of the wearable market in top form
-
6 offbeat products from premium outdoor and fitness labels you didn't know existedWho would have thought these products existed?
-
Apple reportedly preparing the iPhone 17e alreadyBut it sounds like an odd launch window
-
iPhone 17 Pro case leak shows Apple really is about to make a huge design swerveThis is going to alienate some users
-
Apple's Severance computer may have been a joke, but the keyboard is coming for realTell us where we can sign up!
-
New iPhone 17 Pro Max renders give us the best look yet at the flagship phoneThis is going to cause a stir
-
Apple Watch is set to get Apple Intelligence this year, but only with a little help from a friendBring on watchOS 12
-
Apple's iPhone just did something it never has beforeThis is an unprecedented event for the iPhone
-
Leaked iPhone Fold pricing suggests it will be fighting an uphill battle from the startIt looks set to be the most expensive foldable phone
-
iPad reportedly getting major makeover and your current model could benefit tooApple is said to be making a change that iPad power users have been wanting for years
