The European Union has given smartphone makers a December 28 2024 deadline to adopt a common charging cable.
According to law, now officially entered in EU’s Official Journal, “small and medium-sized portable electronics”, such as phones, tablets, headphones, and handheld gaming consoles, need to use a USB Type-C charger by the date, or they will not be able to be sold within the EU.
Apple is by far the biggest company impacted by this change, with its products all using its own customised Lightning chargers and connectors.
Considering the Apple Walled Garden is key to its success, this will no doubt result in changes to other Apple products not covered by the blanket ban.
Although this is an environmental move, it will also result in millions of now-defunct Lightning cables ending up in landfill.
