Products You May Like
If you live in Europe and were hoping to pick up an older iPhone on the cheap, think again. The European Union’s Common Charger Directive came into force on December 28, 2024. This legislation mandates that electronic devices sold within the EU must now feature USB-C charging ports, putting older Apple phones on the wrong side of the law.
The mandate applies to mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, and more. The date is December 28, 2024, for most devices and April 28, 2026, for laptops, as reported by Mashable. After the EU announced the directive in 2022, numerous companies began updating their designs to use USB-C, including Apple.
Last year’s iPhone 15 made the jump to USB-C, but Apple waited until the last minute to stop selling non-compliant phones. Apple’s response to the big day is was to discontinued the iPhone 14 and iPhone SE in the EU, as these models still used the Lightning connector. It can continue to sell Lightning-based products in other parts of the world, though.
The Apple Lightning cable was a big improvement when it launched in 2012, but the company had to be forced to move on.
Credit: B. Jordan / CC2.0
According to the EU, this switch could lead to potential annual savings of up to €250 million for consumers. The EU also expects this move to reduce electronic waste to the tune of 11,000 tonnes per year and promote more sustainable consumer practices.
While currently applicable only within the EU, the move prompted wider adoption of USB-C universally to ease production. You can read more about this legislation here.