Brazilian regulatory agency, Anatel has proposed for smartphone manufacturers like Apple to adopt USB-C charging ports for “greater convenience for consumers”. Although consumers have been requesting the Cupertino tech giant to switch the Lightning with USB-C charging port in iPhones, the company has made the switch in iPad but not iPhones yet.
Apple might be forced to give USB-C iPhones to consumers
Recently, the European Commission has approved the “Radio Equipment Directive” bill to force manufacturers of consumer electronics to adopt USB-C as a standard charging port in all mobile phones, tablets, and other portable devices by Autumn 2024.
The effort is to make small and medium-sized electronic products more sustainable in the European region to reduce electronic waste and make consumers’ lives easier by removing the hassle of purchasing different charging cables and power adapters for different devices. Now Brazil is following EU’s footsteps.
Focusing primarily on smartphones, for now, Anatel’s proposal is in the public consultation phase for citizens and tech companies to share their opinions on the suggestion to make USB-C smartphones mandatory by 2024. Tecnoblog writes:
Anatel says that the standardization “will allow greater convenience for consumers” and “possibly reduce electronic waste by reusing chargers” when devices are exchanged. In the agency’s proposal, mandatory USB-C would start from July 1, 2024.
If the proposed text is fully approved, the USB-C connector requirement will only exist for cell phones with the possibility of charging via cable. With this, Apple and other manufacturers are not prevented from completely eliminating cables and creating smartphones that can only be charged by induction (wireless).
USB-C port delivers faster data transfer speed and supports fast charging, among other advantages. For these reasons, U.S. senators are also pushing the U.S. Commerce Department to pass the “lack of interoperability standards for charging and other device accessories.” Maybe as a pre-emptive move, rumor mills claim that Apple might introduce iPhone 15 with USB-C in 2023.
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