The EU has agreed to a mobile charging port to hit Apple

BRUSSELS –

Apple will have to replace the connector on iPhones sold in Europe by 2024, after EU countries and lawmakers agreed on Tuesday to a single port for charging mobile phones, tablets and cameras for the first time in the world.

The political intervention, which the European Commission says will make consumers’ lives easier and save them money, came after the companies failed to reach a common solution.

Brussels has been pushing for a mobile charging port for more than a decade, prompted by complaints from iPhone and Android users that they need to switch to different chargers for their devices.

iPhones are charged by a Lightning cable, while Android-based devices use USB-C connectors.

Half of the chargers sold with mobile phones in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, while 29% had a USB-C connector and 21% a Lightning connector, according to a 2019 Commission study.

“By the autumn of 2024, USB Type-C will become a common charging port for all mobile phones, tablets and cameras in the EU,” the European Parliament said in a statement.

EU industry chief Thierry Breton said the deal would save about 250m euros ($ 267m) for consumers.

“It will also allow new technologies such as wireless charging to emerge and mature, without allowing innovation to become a source of market fragmentation and inconvenience to consumers,” he said.

Apple, which warned that the proposal would hurt innovation and create a mountain of e-waste, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“We are proud that laptops, e-readers, headphones, keyboards, computer mice and portable navigation devices are also included,” said Alex Alex Agius Saliba, who led the debate in parliament.

Laptops will have to comply with the law within 40 months of its entry into force. The EU executive will have the power in the future to harmonize wireless charging systems.

The fact that the deal also includes electronic readers, headphones and other technologies will affect Samsung 005930.KS, Huawei and other device manufacturers.

(Report by Foo Yun Chee. Edited by Louise Havens and Mark Potter)