Will iPhones sold in the US also have the USB-C charging port?

The European Union has passed a new law requiring that all charging ports for most electronics use the same USB-C input to limit the number of cables consumers are forced to keep. The law still needs to be approved by member states but most following the news believe it is likely to pass. Cell phones are not the only devices that will be impacted by the new law, as it includes tablets and cameras. Down the line, the law will also cover laptops, but companies have until 2026 to comply with the changes.

In response to the new law, Apple’s vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak, said that the company had no choice but to comply. “We have no choice as we do around around the world to comply to local laws.”

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Will the US be impacted?

Apple has responded that they will comply with the new rules, but have not made it clear whether or not iPhones in the US will lose the Lightning charger. Apple will need to make investments into the development of their phones so that they are compatible with the USB-C and if those costs are high, it may be worth it for them to alter the production systems to only produce iPhones with the USB-C charging port.

Three Senators, Ed Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) sent a letter to the Department of Commerce urging leadership to develop a similar plan to that which was approved in Europe. Chargers and the need to have so many that often must be replaced when they break or are lost, are a huge contributer to e-waste.

The letter has yet to see a response, but many consumers agree that the number or chargers they must own to power their devices is getting out of hand.