The European Union has passed the decision obliging smartphone and tablet manufacturers to use the USB-C port in EU countries from 2024. Many Android devices already use USB-C, but Apple insisted on not giving up Lightning on iPhones .
This decision of the European Union also inspired the USA. Lawmakers Ed Markey, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders said there was a lack of a universal common charger standard in the country. In this context, they wrote a letter to Gina Raimond, the US Secretary of Commerce, saying that this problem should be resolved by the ministry.
Will iPhone charging port be USB-C in the US?
In fact, regardless of the EU’s decision, we can say that the USB-C port has already become a standard in the Android ecosystem. Almost all phones and tablets except entry-level ones have USB-C. Apple’s iPhones, AirPods, some iPads and other accessories have Lightning.
From 2024, all devices sold in the EU must have USB-C, including the iPhone and all Apple products. But the US does not insist as Europe does. Lawmakers writing letters to the Minister of Commerce are not specifically mandating a USB technology , except to ask for a universal common charger standard.
In the letter, it is stated that the said decision of the EU is a wise decision taken in the public interest and continues as follows:
“In our increasingly digital society, consumers often have to pay for new specialized charging equipment and accessories for their different devices. This is more of a financial burden than a simple annoyance. The average consumer owns about three cell phone chargers, and around 40 percent of consumers reported in at least one case that they were “incapable of charging their cellphones because the available chargers were incompatible.” Innovation should benefit consumers. This should not overwhelm them with incompatible accessories and force them to purchase different charging equipment for each device they own.”
If the US Department of Commerce heeds this call of lawmakers and makes the necessary legal regulations, all smartphone and tablet manufacturers, including Apple, Google and Samsung, will have to use the same charging port on their devices. In this context, the attitude of the US Government will become clear in the future.