The EU has come up with a new proposal for Universal ports, that will force the companies to make USB-C ports, available on all electronic devices. This will be a major setback for Apple who has been coming up without any port on their iPhone. This is applicable for all devices like speakers, handheld video game devices, smartphones, tablets, cameras, and phones.
This move is a big blow to Apple given that it uses its Lightning port for iPhones and iPads. The new rules are expected to come into force next year, Apple will be forced to comply with the new rules. Europeans have had this complaint for a long time regarding the incompatible chargers.
Proposal
The proposal by the European Union is firm. The USB-C Universal Port will be the common port for all charging devices regardless of the brand. According to the European Commission, on average European consumers own three mobile phone chargers, of which they use only two. 38 per cent of the consumers complained about not being able to charge their phone because the chargers were incompatible. Almost $3.8 billion is spent on standalone chargers that don’t come with devices.
Margrethe Vestager further said it’s an important win for the consumers and environment as it will boost green and digital ambition.
Apple’s Lightning Connector
Apple introduced the Lightning connector back in 2012, replaced its predecessor, the 30-pin dock connector. The other means of device charging was the micro USB port, which was inferior to the Lightning port in terms of durability and ease to use. The USB-C Universal Port was introduced back in 2014, two years after the Lightning port. The biggest advantage of the USB-C port is that it handles high power. The lightning cable is known to handle up to 18 W of power output whereas USB-C can handle up to 100 W of power output.
The USB-C port is ever-present for the entire device, including heavy devices such as Laptops.
Impact
The proposal will now need to be adopted by the European Parliament and the European Council and 24 months from the date of adoption will be given to the industries to adapt. However, Apple said it disagreed with the new proposal, citing the suppression of innovation. If this proposal is passed, Apple will be compelled to comply with the new rules. The new Universal Port is an exciting innovation for global technology.