The smartphone has been using a proprietary cable port since it first hit the market.
Apple recently unveiled its next iPhone and product lineup and while there were lots of new features worthy of the spotlight, there was one very simple one that drew the most attention, and that was its switch to standard USB-C charging ports.
The move was made primarily in response to a new regulation in EU banning proprietary charging cables.
The next iPhone still has a lot to live up to. The smartphone makes up nearly half of Apple’s total sales. The newest version received an expected series of updates and upgrades, including battery life improvement, enhancement of the camera, and recycled components to ensure that it is more environmentally friendly than previous models.
Still, it is the fact that owners will be able to use a standard USB-C cable to charge their smartphones that is drawing a wealth of attention. After all, while a great deal of consumer technology has transitioned to USB-C, or micro USB charging ports over the last few years, Apple has been steadfast in holding onto its own proprietary designs, mainly its lightning port, which has been in use since 2012, when it switched away from a 30-pin dock connector.
The next iPhone isn’t technically the first Apple product to have a USB-C port for charging.
There have been several products from Apple that have had USB-C ports since 2015. That said, none of those devices were its iconic smartphone. This helps to show why the recent announcement from the company was considered a significant one.
Lawmakers in the European Union have created a mandate stating that all rechargeable portable technology devices sold there must have a standard USB charging port by the end of 2024. The goal of that move was to reduce the amount of waste generated from trashed charging cables. Though some predicted that Apple might roll out a device meant specifically for the European market, the recent announcement of the next iPhone made it clear that USB-C charging ports will be standard across all its smartphones from now on, no matter where they are sold in the world.