Research estimates that with the 420 million mobile phones and portable electronic devices sold in the EU in the last year, more than 11,000 tons of waste was generated from the disposed of and unused charging cables.
By introducing a mandatory universal charging solution for all phones and smaller electronic devices (e.g iPads, tablets, etc), the idea is that people will be more likely to reuse older chargers when purchasing or upgrading to newer models.
There’s also the suggestion that consumers will need only the one multi-use charger, reducing the amount of money they’ll need to spend on such products. The ruling is therefore set to reduce much of this waste, while also improving convenience for consumers. Considering this, the ruling seems like a win-win situation for many.
The legislation is unlikely to come into effect for a number of years, as brands have been given a timeframe of 2 years to adapt and evolve. Despite this, there are concerns raised by the biggest smartphone developers – namely, Apple. When the change does come into effect, what does this mean for Apple’s Lightning connector?
Read on to find out about what the EU’s USB-C adoption means for Apple’s iPhone, and about the future of what phone charging may hold.
Apple’s Reaction to the USB-C Switch
Apple appears reluctant to the change, at least when it comes to its iPhones, claiming that forcing the change to a universal charger “stifles innovation rather than encouraging it”. Despite this, they have previously switched to USB-C for some of their devices, which may make the change less of an issue for some leading products. This includes products such as the new iPad Pro models and Macbooks, which now require higher levels of performance than their predecessors and therefore had to make the switch.
Is Apple Divided on the Issue?
Although they have loudly voiced their frustrations concerning the switch, Apple does appear somewhat split regarding the decision to switch to USB-C. And this is because of the need for raw power as their products evolve to require better performing accessories, as we mentioned above.
Apple’s vice president of hardware engineering himself even stated the change was “because a high-performance computer deserves a high-performance connector. And so, in these new iPad Pros, we’re moving to USB-C”.
Despite the alleged environmental benefits, and with the release of the latest iPhone 13 featuring the Lightning connector port, it’s unlikely that any change will be imminent. That being said, the change for MacBooks and iPads does show that from a technical standpoint, Apple is starting to realise how the Lightning connector just can’t keep up with its more powerful USB-C competitor for much longer. Change is necessary, and now they’re legally obligated to follow the rules.
Issues with Apple’s Lightning Connector
Introduced in 2012, the Lightning connector was (at the time) the better alternative in a market where the micro-USBs weren’t good enough for the contemporary technology they were releasing. At the time, it may have been considered faster for both charging and data transfers, and was no doubt an innovative move from the previous 30 pin charger used in older Apple models.
Lacking in Innovation or Evolution
Despite the above, the advancements and perks the Lightning connector held nearly 10 years ago no longer hold the benefits that the USB-C does now. It could be argued that their connector essentially halted innovation in the first place. It hasn’t changed or been improved upon in the last 10 years, other than last years’ change from USB-A to USB-C. The Lightning connector’s proprietary nature – meaning the connector could only be used on Apple products – has also caused frustration amongst consumers in a logistical sense.
Expensive and Exclusive to Apple
While the lightning charger is convenient for the pockets of apple when it comes to gaining extra money, it’s inconvenient for anyone else who now had to buy a £19.00 charger that only worked on Apple products. These Lightning connectors now work on even fewer devices, now that half of Apple’s devices run on USB-C anyway.
The Environmental Impact of Lightning Cable Breakage
Should people instead opt for much more affordable third-party lightning cables, which they do naturally gravitate towards, there is an even heavier environmental impact when these chargers inevitably break after a week!
Saying that, it’s not like Apple hasn’t released new products that do reduce the environmental impact their devices have, though it’s safe to say they’re probably not solely making these decisions just for sustainability. With the release of the iPhone 12, Apple removed earphones and chargers from the contents of their products in a bid to reduce carbon emissions caused by the mining and production of materials. This also allowed for packaging to be reduced and allows for more products to be shipped due to the smaller boxes the phone is packaged in. Apple claims that “taken all together, the changes we’ve made for iPhone 12 cut over 2 million metric tons of carbon annually; it’s like removing 450,000 cars from roads every year”.
What’s Planned for the Future of Smartphone Charging?
How effective these changes are in the long run is up for debate, as tech and consumer preferences do tend to evolve so quickly.
Should Apple choose to take the route of their competitors, there may be greater potential for reduced waste from phone chargers. Samsung has not only scrapped wired headphones, but also promotes wireless charging. Therefore, it could be argued that the EUs restrictions on chargers is relatively futile when looking toward the potential future of widespread portable devices and wireless charging methods.
Obviously, going completely wireless would have an even greater benefit on the environment than a switch to a universal charger, as it would cut out the need for charging cables entirely. Apple do still have a long way to go to even meet the requirements for the USB-C ruling, though, so that’s perhaps a thought for the future.
