Reluctant to do without Lightning cables, Apple will finally comply with European requirements and adopt the universal charger.
“We’re going to have to comply, we have no choice.”Asked by the Wall Street JournalGreg Joswiak, vice-president in charge of marketing at Apple, confirmed that iPhones would gradually adopt the single USB-C charger imposed by the European Union.
The manager did not fail to point out that the new European regulations were not to the taste of the American group. “We think it would have been better for the environment and for our customers if a government weren’t so prescriptive”he said, arguing that the billions of Lightning cables owned by users would become electronic waste.
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An ecological argument, but also an economic one. Apple will have to give up a significant financial windfall: the firm receives a commission on the Lightning accessories that it certifies.
For the moment, Apple has not confirmed any date for the implementation of the universal charger, although the movement is already underway on its range of tablets. The vice-president kicks into touch. “It is the leaders of the European Union who dictate the timing for European consumers. I’m not going to predict the future. »
According to European regulations, all new smartphones arriving on the market at the end of 2024 must be compatible with USB-C charging. In fact, the European decision concerns practically only Apple in the smartphone sector. On the Android side, all manufacturers have already switched to these chargers.
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