On the 23rd of September, the European Commission shared a proposal requiring several electronic devices to feature a USB-C port. By doing so, the EC hopes to reduce electronic waste as it’s easier for customers to re-use their old smartphone chargers.
The first thing that went through my mind (and I’m guessing I’m not the only one) when reading this was; ‘does this mean that Apple is forced to get rid of their iconic Lightning cables?’. The answer? Well sort of. Before the proposal becomes a law, it needs to go through a European Parliament vote. However, they seem to be in favour of a universal charging cable for years now, so there’s a good chance the proposal will make it. Manufacturers would then have 24 months to adapt to the new rule. Of course, Apple is not only selling in Europe, so it’s not entirely sure Apple would completely get rid of their lightning philosophy. Apple already responded, stating such a law would only block technological innovation. And they think there are different ways of reducing electronic waste. We simply need to wait how the future unfolds on that one.
While waiting though, this brings up an interesting discussion in my opinion. How far should controlling bodies such as the government be allowed to go in these sorts of trade-offs? Usually, governments aren’t known for their capability of even keeping up with technological innovation. Slacking, bureaucracy and simply a lack of knowledge isn’t new within their organizations. So, I’m not too certain it’s a good idea to let them dictate what our future devices look like. However, in this case, I’m not too certain about letting the market and commercial companies (earning quite some money off those countless too expensive adapters) handle responsible production and consumption on their own either…
What’s your opinion?
Sources:
https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/eu-may-force-apple-to-add-usb-c-ports-to-iphones/
