Consumers in the European Union can look forward to all new smartphones, tablets, and digital cameras having a USB-C port for charging before the end of 2024.
The European Parliament (EP) today confirmed that USB Type-C is set to become the new standard for portable devices, for both charging and data transfers. Following its deal announced in June, the EP said the port will become mandatory for phones, tablets, and cameras in 2024, and then for laptops from spring 2026.
The new rules extend further than that, though. As the EP states:
"Regardless of their manufacturer, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds and laptops that are rechargeable via a wired cable, operating with a power delivery of up to 100 Watts, will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port."
Any device that supports fast charging will also now have to have the same charging speed so that they all can work and recharge at the same speed using a compatible charger.
Although we expect the iPhone 15 to be the first with a USB-C port, Apple will be forced to make the switch for iPhone 16 if it wants to sell any devices in the EU. Of course, it could avoid the switch completely by shipping an iPhone without any ports, but how likely is that?
The European Commission is also looking to "harmonise interoperability requirements" for wireless charging to avoid "lock-in," so Apple will need to keep that in mind, too. However, one thing is for sure: the days of the Lightning port really are numbered now, and that could result in a new type of dongle being required to allow older accessories to keep working through USB-C.