Apple won’t be happy, but consumers in the European Union will cheer. The European Commission is set to require that iPhone and Android devices be built with a common charging port, according to unnamed sources of Reuters.
A final decision is expected June 7 when the EU meets in Brussels. It’s likely they will agree on a common charging port for mobile phones, tablets and headphones.
For charging, Apple devices use a Lightning cable, while Android-based devices are powered using USB-C connectors. The EU wants all devices to use a USB-C connection.
The discussion in the EU about a single charging port has been going on for more than 10 years. It would make life easier for consumers, be more environmental and eliminate some electronic waste.
But Apple has fought it fiercely. Constantly changing the ports on devices and chargers means people have to keep buying new accessories, and that makes revenue for Apple.
Ironically, Apple has claimed that forcing users to conform to one standard charging system would cause electronic waste.
Next week’s move comes after members of the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in April in support of legislation that will compel Apple to offer a USB-C port on all iPhones, iPads, and AirPods in Europe, according to MacRumors.
According to Reuters, the discussion next week will also include broadening the scope of the proposal to laptops. This would impact other device makes such as Samsung and Huawei.
Of course, this is all limited to the EU. Consumers in other parts of the world will likely have to keep buying expensive, constantly-changing accessories to charge their devices.