The iPhone will switch to a USB-C connector to comply with new EU requirements for small electronics.
apple Executive Greg Joswiak announced that the company had “no choice” but to comply with EU statutes as it does with all local laws around the world.
The European Parliament voted earlier this month for new rules that would require all phones, tablets, cameras and other small devices sold in the EU to have USB-C charging ports by the end of 2024.
The push for this standardization is aimed at reducing e-waste and simplifying the lives of consumers.
Asked about the new ruling at a Wall Street Journal tech conference in California, Mr. Joswiak said: “Obviously we have to comply, we have no choice.”
But he said Apple was not entirely satisfied with the decision, arguing that it would add millions to existing e-waste iPhone Users who have a Lightning cable as their current connector will not be able to use the cable after switching.
He told the meeting that he thought “this approach would be better for the environment, for our clients, if the government wasn’t as regulated”.
The iPhone is the only major smartphone not yet using USB-C. Many other Apple devices already support this connector.
Mr. Joswiak didn’t specify when connectivity would be introduced to the iPhone, saying only that “Europeans are the ones who decide the time for European customers.”
When asked if Apple would only add the USB-C port to phones sold within the EU, Apple executives declined to answer.
The UK seems unlikely to follow the EU’s decision to share charging cables, with the government saying in June it was not considering implementing similar rules at this time.