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MEPs debated on Monday the creation of ” binding measures To push smartphone manufacturers to adopt a universal charging system.
Among the main players concerned by the measure, Apple and its Lightning port used since 2012. The apple brand seems to have finally decided to change, the USB-C having already been adopted on some of its devices.
A ten year old question
The question of universal recharging has lasted too long in the eyes of Brussels, which raised it first time in 2009 about micro-USB chargers, then in a directive from 2014. Four years later, in 2018, the European Parliament is annoyed to note the little effort provided by the manufacturers. The European Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, then declared that ” given that the proactive approach has not produced the expected satisfaction, the Commission will launch an impact study in a very short time to assess the costs and revenues of various other options “.
The result is there. Members of Parliament confirmed on Monday that ” the proactive approach between the various players in the industry has not produced the expected results “. If they do not specify the exact content of their measurements, we can safely expect that most future portable devices (smartphones, tablets, reading lights …) will necessarily be compatible with common connectivity. USB-C is the most likely alternative.
After challenging it, Apple touts USB-C
In the crosshairs of Brussels, we find first of all Apple and its Lightning port. The company estimated in a statement in 2018 that the standardization of chargers ” would freeze innovation rather than encourage it “. According to her, the measure was then ” bad for the environment and unnecessarily disruptive to customers “, Apple evoking in passing a billion Apple devices using Lightning technology and” a whole ecosystem of accessories and device manufacturers “.
However, the firm has since seemed to be resigned. Certainly, new iPhones still don’t have USB-C, but the connection has already appeared on its MacBooks and on its new iPad Pro.
The brand no longer even hesitates to promote USB-C. It highlights what Brussels, precisely, expects from universal connectivity: that it can be used both for recharging the device and for data transfers. One solution must be urgently considered: each year, the chargers generate 51,000 tonnes of electronic waste.
Source: ZDNet.
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