Apple’s vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak, has spoken out about the European Union recently passing a new law that requires all smartphones sold within the 27 countries of the EU to adopt USB-C charging ports by autumn 2024, which will forcing Apple and all other smartphone manufacturers to comply to legally sell their devices within the European Union member states.
Speaking with Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi in an interview with The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern, Joswiak, known as “Joz,” said Apple has “no choice” but to comply with the new law, confirming Apple will move from the Lightning connector to USB-C with future products.
By autumn 2024, USB Type-C will become the common charging port for all mobile phones, tablets and cameras in the EU, with smartwatches and small devices such as health trackers exempt from the ruling where the hardware is too small to offer a USB-C port.
For Apple to continue legally selling the iPhone in European Union member states, the USB-C charging port must be adopted no later than 2024, although rumors suggest Apple will introduce its first USB-C iPhone beginning next year, a year ahead of the deadline.
“We’ll have to comply,” Joz said speaking with Stern.
Obviously, we’ll have to comply. We have no choice.
The European Union has been pushing manufacturers including Apple to adopt USB-C in an effort to reduce electronic waste and make the EU more sustainable, with the group announcing earlier this year that it intended to pass the new law, that has now received approval.
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