Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) will be required to change the connector on iPhones sold in Europe by 2024 after EU member states and legislators agree on a single mobile charging port for smartphones, tablets, and cameras.
All portable devices will be required to have a USB Type-C charging port as of late 2024 as a result of the EU agreement, though the new rule does not apply to products released earlier.
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (ADR) (LSE:BC94), Huawei and other device makers will also be impacted by the deal, which covers e-readers, earbuds, and other technologies.
After companies failed to reach a common solution, the EU intervened, advocating a standard cable for all devices, stating it would substantially reduce electronic waste.
The EU is home to some of the world's wealthiest consumers, with the bloc home to 450mln people, but the introduction of USB-C as a cable standard could affect the entire global smartphone market.
"The deal we struck this morning will bring around €250mln (US$267mln) of savings to consumers," Thierry Breton, EU industry chief said in a statement.
"It will also allow new technologies such as wireless charging to emerge and to mature without letting innovation become a source of market fragmentation and consumer inconvenience," he said.
Apple, which already uses USB-C connectors on some of its iPads and laptops, said any legislation to force a universal charger in the EU would be unwarranted and would create an unnecessary mountain of electronic waste, but EU legislators said the shift, which must be approved by parliament before it can take effect, will save both the "resources" and "nerves" of residents.
After it takes effect, laptop manufacturers will have 40 months to comply with the new law.
Brussels has been pushing for a single mobile charging port for more than a decade, prompted by complaints from iPhone and Android users who had to switch between chargers.
Apple devices are charged with lightning cables, while android devices use USB-C connectors.
According to a study by the European Commission, in 2018, half of the chargers sold with mobile phones had a USB micro-B connector, 29% had a USB-C connector, and 21% had a lightning connector.