iPhone 14 could be last with a Lightning port due to EU ban plan and Apple is ‘concerned’ iPhone 13
The European Union has unveiled plans to impose a universal charger rule on technology manufacturers that would see some connections – such as Apple’s Lightning port – banned from devices sold in the region.
The proposal – which is not yet final – says smartphone manufacturers will be given 24 months to transition to the universal connector type.
For Apple, that would mean the iPhone 14, which we’d expect to see in 2022, would likely retain Lightning, but the iPhone 15 – which may arrive in 2023 – will have to look to a different connector type.
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According to the proposal, all phones, tablets, digital cameras, handheld video game consoles, headsets and headphones sold in the European Union would have to feature USB-C ports.
The Lightning port made waves when it was introduced on the iPhone 5 back in 2012, replacing the then long-standing 30-pin connector, which led to a social outcry as a wide range of docks and other accessories that relied on the larger connector type quickly became incompatible with new iPhones.
While some owners at the time were unhappy with the switch of connector type resulting in products losing functionality, consumers have moved on in the nine years since and Lightning is now a household name.
However, those defunct 30-pin accessories are an example of why the EU is keen to push this proposal through, as it looks to reduce waste when it comes to multiple charging cables.
EU executive vice president Margrethe Vestager said in a statement; “European consumers have been frustrated long enough about incompatible chargers piling up in their drawers.
“We gave industry plenty of time to come up with their own solutions, now time is ripe for legislative action for a common charger”.
Apple remains ‘concerned’
An Apple comment sent to TechRadar highlights the firm isn’t a fan of the EU’s proposal.
“Apple stands for innovation and deeply cares about the customer experience. Some of the most innovative thinking at Apple goes toward building products with recycled and renewable materials,” the statement reads.
“We share the European Commission’s commitment to protecting the environment and are already carbon neutral for all of our corporate emissions worldwide, and by 2030 every single Apple device and its usage will be carbon neutral.
“We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation”
Apple
“We create products that enhance people’s lives, making everyday tasks easier and more efficient, including how you charge and transfer data on your device. We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world.
“We look forward to continued engagement with stakeholders to help find a solution that protects consumer interest, as well as the industry’s ability to innovate and bring exciting new technology to users.”
Apple will continue to work with the European Commission and gather more details about what exactly this means, although there are concerns the ruling may harm the firm’s ecosystem and the 24 month transition period isn’t long enough.
Analysis: still a long way to go
This news doesn’t come as a surprise, as news of the proposal leaked last month. As we’ve mentioned, these plans are not final, and there’s plenty of time for them to change significantly – or be scrapped altogether – depending on the backlash from the industry.
Apple is quickly becoming the outlier when it comes to handheld device ports, with one of the other big holdouts – Amazon – finally switching its popular Kindle ereader range to USB-C with its latest generation just a few days ago, after persisting with microUSB far longer than other major manufacturers.
However, even Apple has started to embrace USB-C over recent years with both its MacBook and iPad Pro ranges now featuring the port.
These moves have prompted rumors and speculation that it’s only a matter of time before iPhone follows suit – which seems like a logical step – but Apple has stuck by the Lightning connector for its most recent installment, the iPhone 13 series, which arrived earlier this month.
Apple could opt to produce two hardware versions of future iPhones, one with a USB-C port for the European market to get past any legislation, while still offering a Lightning-clad variant to the rest of the world, including its home market of the US.
Splitting its hardware portfolio this way will increase productions costs for Apple, something it’s unlikely to want to do, so this probably won’t be the resolution it opts for.
Other Apple rumors suggest the firm could go with a portless design, relying instead on its MagSafe technology – introduced with the iPhone 12 series in 2020 – and wireless charging support to handle all future charging requirements.
There’s still a long way to go then, and this won’t be the last we hear about this proposal, with the potential for multiple twists and turns in the next couple of years.
Via RFI
The European Union has unveiled plans to impose a universal charger rule on technology manufacturers that would see some connections – such as Apple’s Lightning port – banned from devices sold in the region. The proposal – which is not yet final – says smartphone manufacturers will be given 24…
