Members of the European Parliament have voted to adapt products that are not yet equipped with a standard USB-C charger to use it. This will force companies like Apple Inc. to adopt and ensure consumers can operate the USB-C universal charger. Bioomberg writes about it. Vehicle manufacturers will have to comply with these requirements by the fall of 2024.
The EU estimates that the new law will help smartphone owners save about €250 million a year by eliminating the need to buy new chargers. In addition, it is assumed that the production of electronic waste will be reduced by 11 thousand tons per year.
Apple has previously opposed EU attempts to come to a common wired charging port standard. However, the company is already testing future iPhone models that will replace its proprietary Lightning charging port with a standard USB-C connector. Current Apple laptops and iPad Pro models already use them, as do most popular Android smartphones.