EU legislation to impose a common charger for smartphones is already a fact. After the EU ratified the vote in October, the law has been officially signed and published today with a December 2024 deadline for all new smartphones sold in Europe to use USB-C.
We’ve known for a long time that it would probably be 2024 when smartphone makers would be forced to use USB-C as a common port in the EU. However, today the law has been officially registered, which will enter into force on December 27, 2022, and companies will have until December 28, 2024 to comply with the mandate.
The goal of the law is to reduce e-waste, as many consumers throw away chargers and cables when upgrading their phones. Apple is expected to launch its first iPhone with USB-C before the 2024 deadline in the fall of 2023. Both Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman have said that the iPhone 15 could be the device that makes the switch. However, since Apple will launch its new devices in September and the law will not take effect until December 2024, the company could have until 2025 to make the change.
Apple is said to be still working on a fully wireless iPhone. But it could arrive in 2024 or later. See more details in our complete guide:
The law also applies to tablets, but Apple made the switch to USB-C this year with the iPad 10, and the iPad mini, Air and Pro already use the connector.
