Apple, under the leadership of Tim Cook, unsuccessfully fought with Brussels' an attempt to implement common charging standards
Every home has a box under the stairs or in the garage filled with a tangle of cables and a mish-mash of charging plugs. This mess of copper and plastic is the last refuge of wires and old phones that haven't been used in years.
Many cables lie abandoned for so long that their original use has been forgotten. However, the wires remain in case someone one day remembers what they were used for.
These boxes can become even more cluttered. Apple will unveil its new line of smartphones on Tuesday with the release of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Apple will undoubtedly tout these phones as faster, smarter and more powerful than the previous generation.
But one update to the new phones remains outside of Apple's control. The US tech company will replace its charging cable and «Lightning» port (a technology unique to its devices) with a different type of cable known as «USB-C».
While this tweak may seem innocuous, it has been the subject of fierce debate and costly lobbying from Apple for years as the tech giant battled mandarins in Brussels who launched a crusade against tech «e-waste.» Last year, Brussels approved new rules that would force tech companies to adopt a common charging standard, choosing USB-C, from 2024.
Officials said at the time that the new rules, consumers will no longer need a new charger every time they buy a new device, saying they will be able to use one charger «for a range of small and medium-sized portable electronic devices.»
They claimed that chargers on the block generated 11,000 tons of e-waste annually, costing consumers €250 million each year.
Apple has since reluctantly accepted this diktat. All new phones in the iPhone 15 lineup are expected to require a USB-C charger.
Apple Lightning charging cable and port will be replaced by a USB-C cable. Photo: NurPhoto
But experts say the move could irritate some consumers as it would make legacy charging hardware redundant again, just at a time when Apple's revenue is falling.
Paolo Pescatore, an analyst at PP Foresight, says he expects to see «some backlash» and Ben Wood, principal analyst at CCS Insight, says: «The expected move to USB-C could cause some difficulties for Apple customers , which already have proprietary solutions.” Lightning cables and docking stations throughout the house.»
While Apple's iPhone 15 will feature several new innovations, such as a zoomable periscope camera, the launch comes at a sensitive time for Apple.
< p>The $2.7 trillion tech company has endured its longest stretch of revenue decline since 2016 and recently reported that iPhone sales fell just over 2% in the three months to June.
Its market value was slashed by more than $200 billion last week following reports that China was banning iPhone use by government officials. China is a major driver of Apple's sales and is also critical to its manufacturing.
Barring a switch to a new charger, Apple's iPhone 15 lineup will likely be slightly updated compared to previous years.
While Apple will be keen to present the move as one of its new iPhone innovations, it was angered by the EU's decision last year. «Obviously we have to comply, we have no choice,» Greg Joswiak, Apple's chief marketing officer, told Sky News last year. “The Europeans dictate the time,” he said then.
In fact, Apple has spent years lobbying the EU efforts.
Brussels first called for phone and laptop chargers to meet a common standard back in 2009. Back then there were dozens of competing charging ports that were useless to competing brands. Apple joined an industry group that promised to work toward a common charging standard.
However, in 2012, it introduced its unique Lightning cable, which it still uses years later. There are currently only three main types of chargers in Europe.
The 1.5 billion Apple iPhones in use around the world are powered by lightning rods. Photo: Jae K. Hong/AP
An 88-page 2019 report commissioned by Apple claimed that consumers would incur costs of 1.5 billion euros if they were forced to change chargers as a result of the reforms.
The report claimed: the device will provide, at best, only limited environmental benefits.”
As of this year, there are about 1.5 billion iPhones in use worldwide, all of them using the company's Lightning cables.
Apple is expected to replace Lightning worldwide, not just in Europe.
Customers who have relied on the same Lightning connector for years may also find they have to buy a new £19 power adapter.
To save on packaging, iPhone no longer comes with charging cable in the box. Wireless AirPod headphones will also switch to new cables.
The new cable that will come with the iPhone 15 is expected to have a USB-C port on both ends, which experts say could also add to any consumer backlash. Most consumers are unlikely to have a power adapter with such a port, since the vast majority of power plugs use the larger USB-A connector.
Similar changes have drawn opposition in the past. For example, when Apple removed the 3.5mm headphone jack from its phones, early reviewers were divided.
However, many fans are enthusiastic. USB-C cables, used by many Android competitors, provide faster data transfer speeds. They are also capable of faster charging, supporting power up to 240W. Apple's current Lightning cable is only rated at 20W.
Apple has already started using USB-C on some of its larger devices such as MacBooks and iPads. Its phones also support wireless charging.
Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, says: “Apple had to bite the bullet when choosing USB-C, but ultimately it gives Apple some flexibility to make further design changes in the future. It's not ideal, but consumers will get used to it quickly.» CCS's Wood adds: «In the long run, it's likely to benefit them as a universal charging system has some obvious benefits.»
While European officials may have finally forced Apple to bend the knee on USB-C, there could still be a further turnaround.
Earlier this year, there were reports that Apple might include tiny chips. in own-brand USB-C chargers that authenticate them and provide faster download speeds.
The commission has already struck back. According to German newspaper Die Zeit, Thierry Breton, Europe's business czar, has written to Apple warning: «Devices that do not meet uniform charger requirements will not be allowed.»
This means a charging war may take place. the final shock is ahead.
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