Despite aggressive lobbying by Apple (AAPL), the European Parliament has voted in favour of a law requiring that all new portable devices use the same type of charging cable.
Smartphones and tablets sold in Europe, including Apple’s iPhone and iPad, will have to use a USB-C charger starting in 2024.
Laptop manufacturers have been given until 2026 to comply with the new law that applies to the 27 countries that comprise the European Union, including Germany and France.
The new charging cable rule is expected to be signed into law at the European Parliament on October 24.
The United Kingdom, which is no longer part of the European Union, has said it is not currently considering introducing a common charging cable.
European Union officials have long debated the issue and proponents have argued that a common charging cable will cut down on the amount of electronic waste that comes from consumers having multiple chargers for their devices.
Apple had aggressively lobbied against the proposal as its iPhones and iPads use a custom-made Lightning connector and charging cable. Complying with the new rules in Europe could cost Apple billions of dollars, the company has said.
The new common charger applies to the following devices sold within the European Union as of 2024:
- Mobile phones
- Tablets
- E-readers
- Global positioning System (GPS) devices
- Headphones and headsets
- Digital cameras
- Handheld videogame consoles
- Portable speakers
