The EU has provisionally agreed that new portable electronic devices will have to use a USB Type-C charger by autumn 2024. According to EU officials, a common charging port will make life easier for consumers and save them money.
The new law means that Apple will have to change the plug on iPhones sold in Europe by 2024. Apple uses a custom charging port that is exclusive to some of its products.
The company’s products, such as iPhones and iPads, must comply with the new law, and laptops will also be included, although this will be 40 months after the law comes into force.
The new rule will cover a range of “small and medium sized portable electronics,” including mobile phones, tablets, headphones and headsets, portable video game consoles and portable speakers.
“This law is a part or a broader EU effort to make products in the EU more sustainable, to reduce electronic waste and make consumers’ lives easier,” the EU said in its statement.
The agreement will be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers after the summer, where it can be formally endorsed and subsequently published.