There’s been an increase in consumer demand and regulatory pressure on Apple to alter the charging port of the iPhone from a lightning connector to a USB-C. This month it was reported that the European Parliament approved the law that required phone manufacturers to implement USB-C connectors starting in 2024 creating pressure on Apple to make the switch.
Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of marketing, said on Tuesday that Apple would comply with the EU’s directive; however, he stayed clear of disclosing any further information.
In a Wall Street Journal interview at the WSJ Tech Live event, Joswiak wasn’t happy with how governments around the world approach this problem. In the past, when the EU insisted on micro USB connectors, he claimed Apple was not happy about them. Although the goal of the regulatory body was to limit the types of power adapters that users were using to make it less burdensome for their shoulders, Apple approached the problem differently, he said.
Apple launched its lightning connector nearly 10 years ago, and it has since been the main connector for numerous devices such as the iPhone, iPad, iPad, and AirPods. In recent times, Apple has been launching iPads with USB-C as the main connector, including the most current version of the iPad.
The EU is one of many regions advocating for a standard phone charger. The month of June saw Democratic senators such as Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Ed Markey send an open letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, pushing the U.S. to follow the EU’s recommendations. Other countries, such as Brazil and India, have been mulling an agreement on a standard connector.
