Apple to introduce USB-C charging to comply with EU directive

Apple has confirmed that it will comply with the European Union's (EU) common charger directive and will adopt the USB Type-C charging standard for its devices.

Just a few days ago, the European Union ministers gave the final approval to the common charger directive, a new law that mandates a common charging standard for mobile phones, tablets and e-readers, digital cameras and video game consoles, headphones, earbuds and portable loudspeakers, wireless mice and keyboards, and portable navigation systems.

At the WSJ Tech Live Conference, Greg Joswiak, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple said that the company would comply with the new law.

“We have no choice — as we do around the world, (we) will comply with local laws,” he said.

It's worth noting that most of Apple's devices - iPad's, iMac's and the AirPods Pro 2 - already use the USB-C charging standard, leaving only the iPhone that has still stuck to the company's proprietary lighting chargers.

Joswiak also made it clear that Apple is still sceptical about the EU's new mandate, though he conceded that the law means well. He pointed out that while the law was environmentally motivated, as an attempt to reduce e-waste, it may have actually ended up increasing it.

He said that there were now more than a billion iPhone chargers with lightning connectors, that will now be deemed useless and will be regarded as waste. Joswiak did not comment on when Apple will be making the shift.

“We think the approach would have been better environmentally and better for our customers to not have a government be that prescriptive,” he said.