Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

One charger to rule them all? EU announces plan to impose universal phone cable in blow to Apple

One charger to rule them all? EU announces plan to impose universal phone cable in blow to Apple

In a setback for Apple, the European Union has announced plans to standardize chargers for smartphones and other small electronic devices, giving manufacturers a two-year transition period in which to fall in line.
Phones are currently served by three main chargers; Apple’s ‘Lightning’ connector, USB micro-B ports widely used on Android mobile phones, and the modern USB-C ones that the EU’s proposal favors.

Implementing a universal charging cable would combat the problem of electronic waste, allowing people to use their existing chargers when changing to a new device, the European Commission argued.

“European consumers have been frustrated long enough about incompatible chargers piling up in their drawers,” EU Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.

Apple – whose products typically use custom charging ports – has long countered that such mandates would impede innovation and lead to even more pollution. The tech giant, however, has already switched to USB-C charging ports on newer models of its iPad and laptop computers.

“Strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world,” Apple responded.

The EU has pushed back on that argument, however. “It is not against innovation. It is for European consumers, it is not against anyone,” Thierry Breton, the internal market commissioner, said.

According to an EC impact study from 2019, about half of the chargers sold with mobile phones across the EU in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, while 29% had a USB-C connector, with the Lightning connector accounting for 21%.

The proposed rules will apply to smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers and handheld video game consoles, while other products like earbuds, smartwatches and fitness trackers were reportedly not considered due to technical reasons.

The proposal will also cover fast-charging speeds, meaning that manufacturers offering rapid charging features on their products will be required to ensure that battery power recovery rates remain uniform across devices.

For over a decade, the EC has had a voluntary agreement regarding cables in place with manufacturers, but says the current situation is too “inconvenient” as European consumers spend roughly €2.4 billion ($2.8 billion) yearly on standalone chargers that are not bundled with their devices.

“We gave industry plenty of time to come up with their own solutions, now time is ripe for legislative action for a common charger,” Vestager said.

The proposal still needs to be debated by the European Parliament and member states before coming into effect, giving companies “ample time” to comply with the new rules. But Apple said the 24-month transition period could affect current sales.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
×