The European Union refuses to surrender on the dream that sooner or later, all of us will use the identical rattling charger for all our units. Today, the European Commission announced it plans to drive all smartphones—and a number of other different sorts of electronics—to make use of USB-C because the one true charging normal.

The proposed plan has 4 elements. The first is that “USB-C will be the common port” so that customers can cost their units with the identical charger, “regardless of device or brand.” The European Commission says it goals to stop totally different corporations from capping charging speeds, and companies may even be required to offer shoppers with details about charging efficiency, in addition to whether or not a tool helps quick charging. The thought right here is to coach shoppers in order that they know whether or not their present chargers will work with a brand new machine. Lastly, the European Commission desires chargers to be unbundled from new units, so you should buy a new smartphone with out one more charger included within the field.

In its report, the commission notes that roughly 420 million smartphones have been offered within the EU in 2020, and shoppers personal roughly three chargers every. The result’s 11,000 tons of e-waste per 12 months.

Under the proposal, USB-C can be the usual charging port for all smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, audio system, and different devices. Should the proposal be adopted by the European Parliament, corporations would have about 24 months to make the change. Android telephones have lengthy used USB-C, however you’ll be able to most likely already guess which firm is the key holdout.

“We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world,” Apple stated in an announcement provided to multiple outlets.

G/O Media could get a fee

Are we shocked? Not notably. Apple has lengthy opposed the EU’s efforts to ascertain standardized charging, citing inconvenience, innovation, and waste. That stated, Apple has in recent times adopted USB-C for many of its iPads. It did so for its MacBooks as effectively, although latest rumors relating to the return of MagSafe this 12 months could complicate that, despite the fact that Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman contends USB-C ports will nonetheless be included. However, for its iPhones, Apple has caught with its proprietary Lightning cables.

But the commission isn’t shopping for Apple’s protection.

“European consumers were frustrated long enough about incompatible chargers piling up in their drawers,” stated Margrethe Vestager, govt vice chairman of the European Commission. “We gave industry plenty of time to come up with their solutions, now time is ripe for legislation for a common charger.”

If this proposal passes, Apple could also be pressured to absolutely embrace USB-C for iPhones. Or, it may do an Apple and simply up-finish every little thing within the course of. As the Verge notes, the fee’s proposal strictly refers to wired charging. So no, your smartwatch or different units that depend on wi-fi charging gained’t be impacted. (In the case of wearables, there’s purpose why USB-C isn’t actually viable.)

Rumors floated round that Apple was engaged on a portless iPhone 13. That didn’t come to fruition, however it’s all the time potential that this may spark Apple to dust off that idea again for the iPhone 14 or 15. Or, they might all the time do what they did when the EU pushed for micro-USB again in 2009, after they launched a Lightning-to-micro-USB dongle in Europe. If there’s one factor Apple loves, it’s forcing everybody to dongle it up.