Apple confirms it will keep Lightning in future iPhones

An Apple spokesperson has publicly stated that the company plans to comply with new European Union regulations that require certain devices to have USB-C ports, confirming that the iPhone will soon adopt USB-C.

“Obviously, we’re going to have to comply,”Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, told attendees at The Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live conference on Tuesday. He resigned himself to this, noting that the company still does not agree with the regulation. “We think that this approach would be better from an environmental point of view and better for our customers if the government did not give such directives,” he said.

On Monday, the EU gave final approval to a long-pending common charger law that would require all devices in certain categories, including smartphones, to standardize on USB-C. Most devices have already gone down this path, including Apple’s MacBook and iPad lines, but the iPhone line has remained with Apple’s proprietary Lightning connection.

The law requires iPhones to move in this direction by 2024. It applies to newly introduced products, not to products that were introduced before it went into effect, so in theory Apple could continue to sell older Lightning devices until it feels the products don’t meet the other requirements. no longer viable.

Those who support the law argue that it will reduce e-waste and provide environmental benefits, in part because users will be able to share cords and chargers between devices, and that it will be a boon for consumers who may feel frustrated by the confusing landscape. gadgets. Detractors said the regulation could stifle or prevent future innovation of new ports and technologies that could benefit consumers and the environment.

At first glance, it might seem obvious that Apple will have to implement USB-C once the law goes into effect, but for a while there were rumors and even some insiders that Apple could just ditch the ports and depend on wireless charging. and data transfer rather than using USB-C instead of Lightning. However, more recent reports have suggested that Apple won’t skip USB-C for wireless.

Joswiak did not elaborate on whether the company plans to introduce the iPhone with USB-C only in Europe where it is needed, while still introducing phones with Lightning in the United States, or whether it will offer different versions in different regions.