{"id":37233,"date":"2022-10-06T14:31:21","date_gmt":"2022-10-06T18:31:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=37233"},"modified":"2022-10-27T16:07:39","modified_gmt":"2022-10-27T20:07:39","slug":"eu-passes-law-to-switch-iphone-to-usb-c","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2022\/10\/06\/eu-passes-law-to-switch-iphone-to-usb-c\/","title":{"rendered":"EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hartley Charlton<\/a> (Hacker News<\/a>):<\/p>\n

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The European Parliament today voted overwhelmingly in favor of enforcing USB-C as a common charging port across a wide range of consumer electronic devices, including the iPhone and AirPods, by the end of 2024.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

Exemptions will apply for devices that are too small to offer a USB-C port, such as smart watches, health trackers, and some sports equipment, but the legislation is expected to be expanded to other devices over time.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

As I’ve said<\/a>, I wish Apple had come to this decision on its own years ago. There are certainly potential downsides to a legal mandate, and if Apple had truly been worried about them it likely could have forestalled the EU by acting before<\/a> it was obligated to. Instead, many extra cables and dongles had to be manufactured, we’ve been carrying them around all these years (while getting slower transfers), and Apple’s future product designs may be unnecessarily constrained.<\/p>\n\n

Benedict Evans<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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The fun thing about these kinds of rules is you won’t actually see the innovation they kill, because ‘this is illegal unless you submit it to an unpredictable multi-year bureaucratic approval process’ means projects will be abandoned at birth. You can’t see the counter-factual.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Alex Stamos<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Apple could have prevented this years ago by making the move to USB-C and announcing that they would work with other manufacturers via USB-IF to synchronize ports from now on. That would have kept the process in the standards body instead of Brussels.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Tony Fadell<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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This is only happening because Apple hasn’t been doing the right thing. Period. This is about a monopolist like position not about technology. I hope after Apple is forced to change the regulations will be removed to allow innovation to continue.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Tony Fadell<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Frankly forcing Apple to make this brain dead change for the planet through regulation is a much lot easier than a monopolistic legal trial. Again, Apple is abusing their market position & this is coming from the guy who made the 30 pin connector happen!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Previously:<\/p>\n