European Parliamentarians have almost unanimously voted to standardize the charging connector in mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, headphones, cameras, and other similar devices. 602 members of parliament were in favor, and 13 people were against it.
The fact that the European Parliament passed the bill is not the last stage of a lengthy discussion of an initiative to standardize the type of connector for charging small and medium-sized mobile devices. The document still has to be adopted by the Council of Europe and ratified by individual countries.
According to the bill, gadgets that go on sale in the EU in the fall of 2024 must have Type-C. Otherwise, the device will not be sold in this market. If the gadget goes on sale before September 2024, it can be equipped with a connector other than USB Type-C.
The bill has often been referred to as the “Apple Act.” However, for a couple of years, leading insiders have said Apple will abandon Lightning in 2023. A year before the law comes into force. New iPhones will receive this charging connector.
The law does not provide any standard for charging, so having a single form factor is good, but everything is complicated inside. Is this a five-generation Quick Charge? Or is it a Power Delivery of one of two generations? Or even a new Chinese UFCS?
It will become easier to live with one cable, but what will this cable transmit?