Apple's iPhone and its years-long Lightning port are certainly numbered

Apple's iPhone and its years-long Lightning port are certainly numbered

The legislation still needs to pass a vote in the EU Parliament and Council, scheduled for later this year, and all indications are that an overwhelming majority will vote in favour of a common charging standard. The new law also seeks to unify fast charging standards across devices and considers doing the same for wireless charging standards in the future.

According to a press release from the European Parliament, consumers in the European Union spend a total of 250 million euros a year on chargers. Meanwhile, the unused chargers bundled with the devices generate about 11,000 tonnes of e-waste each year.

All major smartphone makers have now made the transition to USB-C, and Apple's iPhone and its years-old Lightning port confirm that their days are numbered. Apple could theoretically avoid adding USB-C to its phones by removing the charging port and switching to wireless charging entirely, if it wasn't willing to compromise with the EU. But according to recent rumors, the company is already testing USB-C on its next iPhone.

The European Parliament has reached agreement on proposed legislation that would force all future smartphones, including Apple's iPhone, to use a universal USB-C port for charging. In addition to mobile phones, the rules will apply to other electronic devices, including tablets, digital cameras and e-readers. In addition to agreeing to use a common charging port, the commission will also explore compatibility of wireless charging technologies in the future.

The European Parliament's Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee announced the agreement on Twitter and will formally unveil the text at a press conference later today.