iPhone WILL be fitted with USB-C ports, Apple confirms
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Apple has confirmed it will ditch the Lightning port for USB-C in its iPhones – but only because it will ‘have to’.
Speaking during an interview in California, Apple executive Greg Joswiak said the tech giant will ‘have to comply’ with a new law recently passed by the EU.
The law, signed off earlier this month, makes USB-C connectors – currently used by Android-based devices – the standard charging technology in the EU.
That means Apple will have to replace its own Lightning charging technology, discernible by its eight pins, with USB-C in EU countries.
Joswiak, who is senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple, was speaking on Tuesday evening at WSJ Tech Live, the Wall Street Journal’s annual tech conference, in Laguna Beach, California.
He said: ‘Obviously, we’ll have to comply; we have no choice, just as we do around the world to comply to local laws.
‘But we think the approach would have been better environmentally and better for our customers to not have a government be that prescriptive.’
iPhones currently use Apple’s proprietary power connector technology ‘Lightning’ (top right). But Apple will have to comply with a new EU law that makes USB-C (bottom right) the EU standard. This means iPhones sold in EU countries will have to come with USB-C instead of Lightning
He was accompanied by Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering.
Joswiak especially didn’t seem happy when discussing the law, saying: ‘I don’t mind governments telling us what they want to accomplish, but usually we’ve got some pretty smart engineers to figure out the best ways to accomplish them technically.’
Neither Joswiak nor Federighi confirmed on Tuesday which will be the first iPhone to come with USB-C.
When asked by the Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern, Joswiak, seemingly irritated, replied: ‘Don’t try and get me to predict the future.’
He also said: ‘The Europeans are the ones dictating timing for European customers.’
It’s worth bearing in mind that law comes into effect in autumn 2024, which is around the time Apple is expected to release the iPhone 16.
However, according to Apple tipster Mark Gurman, Apple pushing forward with plans to abide by the law by making the iPhone 15 – set to be released in autumn next year – the first iPhone with USB-C.
Apple also didn’t say whether USB-C would be on iPhones sold outside the EU.
Following approval of the EU’s law, Apple does have the option to sell iPhones with Lightning ports in non-EU countries, including the UK, and the rest of the world too.
Apple execs Greg Joswiak (right) and Craig Federighi (centre) were being interviewed by the Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern (left)
Publicly, Apple has long maintained that the EU law could hurt innovation and create a mountain of electronics waste
But to make operations simpler and cheaper, the company could totally abandon Lightning by fitting every Apple device sold globally with USB-C.
The EU’s new law, signed off on October 4 this year, covers not just phones but tablets, e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld video game consoles and portable speakers.
Laptops are also covered, but manufacturers will have extra time to comply (until 2026).
Apple fans in affected countries will of course be able to still use their old Lightning chargers and devices that have Lightning ports.
But new devices sold in the affected countries from 2024 will have to be USB-C.
Ultimately, it should make life easier for consumers fed up with rummaging through a tangle of cables for the right one.
But Apple has long maintained that the law could hurt innovation and create a mountain of electronics waste.
When the agreement was reached in June, it had been uncertain if the decision could affect Apple products sold in the UK and other non-EU countries in Europe.
But a UK government spokesperson previously told MailOnline: ‘We are not currently considering replicating this requirement.’
Apple will have to start fitting its iPhones and other devices with a USB-C charger (pictured), already used for Android devices
iPhones use Apple’s proprietary power connector technology ‘Lightning’, discernable by its eight pins (pictured)
However, Northern Ireland will have to comply with the rule due to current post-Brexit arrangements – namely, the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The Northern Ireland Protocol was struck in order to prevent a post-Brexit hard border on the island of Ireland, separating the north from the republic.
But it means Northern Ireland continues will follow some European Single Market rules. The Republic of Ireland is an EU country, so it will also have to comply.