Apple’s newest iPhone will almost certainly have a USB-C charging port when it is unveiled on September 12th.
Unlike competitors like Samsung, the company’s phones currently use its unique Lightning adaptor.
To reduce waste and save consumers money, a European Union law mandates that phone manufacturers adopt a standard charging connection by December 2024.
The majority of new Apple products, including the most recent iPads, already use USB-C, but the company had argued against the EU regulation.
A spokesperson for Apple told the media when it was first introduced in September 2021: “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.”
All iPhones since the iPhone 8 that debuted in 2017 have supported wireless charging, and lightning to USB-C adaptors are currently offered from other electronics brands like Amazon.
The Lightning cable, which costs £19 at the Apple store, may soon become obsolete as the current iPhone 14 appears to be the company’s final product to exclusively use it.
Although the tech giant is less likely to produce a different version of the handset for the European market only, it is unclear whether this will be a global change to the product.
The new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro devices, which are scheduled to be unveiled next week at the company’s yearly autumn event, are anticipated to feature the changes.
According to a Bloomberg News report, users will benefit from the switch by being able to charge their iPads, Macs, and iPhones with just one charger and from faster download speeds.
The EU estimates that it will save consumers “up to €250m [£213m] a year on unnecessary charger purchases” and reduce waste by 11,000 tonnes annually.
Source-BBC
