The European Commission (EC) will present a bill on Thursday to oblige manufacturers to equip their smartphones, tablets and headphones with a universal plug so that they can be charged from a common charger. This was reported by Reuters with reference to a source.
As the agency notes, in the EU for more than 10 years they have been talking about the need to create a charger suitable for all gadgets. Supporters of the initiative believe that this will not only be more user-friendly, but also have a positive impact on the environment.
The EC wants to sell such devices separately from gadgets. In addition, the commission will present a model of a possible charging port, the source said.
Apple, whose iPhones are charged with a Lightning cable, said it would hinder innovation. The company also believes that the introduction of universal chargers will lead to “mountains of e-waste” and will irritate consumers.
According to an EC study, in 2018, half of chargers sold with smartphones had a USB micro-B connector. Another 29% came from USB-C and 21% came from Lightning.
.