Apple may get harder to ditch USB-C on iPhone as Brazil considers mandate

Brazil is the latest country to consider making USB-C charging a requirement for smartphones. On Tuesday, Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency, Anatel, announced a public consultation on a proposal to make USB-C charging a requirement for all cell phones sold in the country.

Anatel said in a statement that the company is following in the footsteps of the European Union. EU USB-C policy requires all smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, and certain other wired-charging consumer electronics to be powered via USB-C for sale in the region. Over time, laptops will also have to meet this requirement. Anatel is currently negotiating a mandate to sell phones only in Brazil.

The regulator also noted that some US senators are looking for a universal charger strategy similar to that in force in the EU.

In documents supporting Anatel’s proposal and discovered by The Verge, Anatel said USB-C policies could reduce e-waste, be more convenient for consumers, and help Brazil adjust to global standards. However, it was noted that such a requirement could stifle innovation in charging standards and increase costs for Anatel and the companies it regulates.

The documents describe a policy that phones and phone chargers that support charging more than 5V, 3A, or 15W must support USB-C charging. Anatel is also considering two other proposals: one would require the use of any alternative charging method so as not to interfere with USB-C charging, and the other would require minimum charging power requirements to be specified on phone bundles and manuals.

Anatel is not in the business of standardizing wireless charging, but the papers note that “acceptance will continue to be the subject of research both nationally and internationally to assess the need to determine standardization for this category of charging interface,”according to Google Translate.

Anatel public consultations are open until 26 August.

Another reason to consider an iPhone with USB-C

Anatel noted that USB-C is the charging standard under consideration because this is the path the EU is taking and the US policies are emphasizing, and the connector is already widely used. As for phones, most Android devices already charge via USB-C. The obvious obstacle is Apple’s iPhone, which charges via Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector.

This week’s announcement makes Apple think about releasing iPhones with USB-C as soon as possible. Apple will already have to come up with a solution to meet the upcoming EU requirement. With the US in North America and now Brazil in South America showing interest in similar rules, it’s not hard to imagine other governments following suit.

Apple’s iPhone may go completely wireless, but it’s still too early to talk about data transfer and power efficiency for this technology. And offering both USB-C and Lightning would be cumbersome and could result in a bulkier device.

A Bloomberg report in May claimed that Apple is already testing iPhones with USB-C and could release them as early as next year. If this intended testing is successful, we expect USB-C iPhones to be sold globally, not just in markets with USB-C charging requirements, for logistical and cost reasons.