India’s USB-C mandate may not apply to Apple’s AirPods

In India, a proposal for the wider adoption of a USB-C charging port in smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other electronics, is in the pipeline. According to a new report, India may exempt certain devices from its proposed law. Apple’s AirPods may be one of the devices that could be excluded from the rule.

Certain feature phones, wearables, and hearables may not have to comply with India’s proposed USB-C law

As reported by Mint, a senior Indian official revealed that the government could exempt certain feature phones, wearables, earbuds, headphones, and more, from a proposed USB-C mandate it is currently working on. As for the reason behind this, device makers and stakeholders reportedly shared their concerns with the Indian government that adding a USB-C port to certain devices would lead to an increase in cost for consumers.

Although the exact definition of the exempted devices has not yet been determined, Apple’s line of AirPods may fall within the category of hearables.

The European Union has already signed its common charger law that will force mobile phone vendors to sell their products with a single standard USB-C port by December 2024. This means that by 2024, all Apple products sold in the EU must include a USB-C port, including AirPods. So, even if Apple’s AirPods are exempted from the mandate in India, the tech giant would still have to convert all AirPods to USB-C under the EU rule.

TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously reported that the Cupertino tech giant is testing USB-C connectivity for next year’s iPhone 15 lineup. Adding onto this, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has said that Apple is fully prepared to transition most of its products to the new charging standard before the EU’s mandated deadline.