Tag: European Union

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Mobile Syrup

EU law will force devices – including the iPhone – to use USB-C

The European Parliament, the EU’s elected legislative body, voted 602 to 13 in favour of enforcing USB-C as a common charging port across a wide variety of devices. That means future iPhones and other devices sold in Europe will need to offer a USB-C charging port.

Per a press release from the European Parliament:

“By the end of 2024, all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port. From spring 2026, the obligation will extend to laptops.”

The EU says the change is part of a broader effort to “reduce e-waste and to empower consumers to make more sustainable choices.” The new rules would also impact charging standards, requiring all devices that support fast charging to have the same charging speed, which hopefully could reduce confusion around cable, charger, and device compatibility. Similarly, the EU wants to make wireless charging solutions interoperable, and the new rules empower the European Commission to develop acts by the end of 2024 that force open wireless charging solutions.

Specifically, the EU says “all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds and laptops that are rechargeable via a wired cable, operating with a power delivery of up to 100 Watts, will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port.”

There are exemptions, of course. The rules won’t apply to devices too small for a USB-C cable, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers.

It’s also worth noting that the rules will not have an immediate impact on electronics in the EU. First, the European Council must approve the rules so they can be published to the EU Official Journal. Then, the rules come into effect 20 days after publication. Moreover, the rules come into effect at the end of 2024.

When will you be able to buy a USB-C iPhone

The big question coming out of this is how the rules will impact Apple. The iPhone-maker remains one of the biggest players not to have widely adopted USB-C charging. Most iPhones and iPads still use the company’s Lightning connector. Some iPads do have USB-C, however. Plus, Apple’s MacBooks recently switched back to using MagSafe as the primary method of charging, although most MacBooks also come with USB-C ports and support charging over those ports. And that’s not even getting into the various accessories the company offers with Lightning.

The Verge reports that, due to how and when the rules will come into effect, Apple may be able to skirt by with possibly two more Lightning-equipped iPhones. Apple typically reveals major new iPhones in September, so we could see the 2023 and 2024 iPhones arrive before the restrictions come into place, while the 2025 iPhone (possibly the iPhone 17 series, if Apple keeps up its current branding) might be the first that’s actually forced to have USB-C.

That said, it’s possible Apple might make the change sooner rather than later. Rumours already point to the 2023 iPhone sporting USB-C. Alternatively, if Apple really wants to avoid adding USB-C to the iPhone, it could launch a portless iPhone instead — that seems to be the only real workaround to the new EU rules.

Technically, the new rules only apply to the EU, so Apple could make a USB-C iPhone for Europe and keep Lightning in other regions, or pull out of the EU entirely. Neither of those seem likely, however. Apple has shown a desire to keep its products the same regardless of where you buy them, while the EU remains a major market for Apple. So, the EU rules likely mean we’ll all see a USB-C iPhone in the near future.

Source: European Parliament Via: MacRumors, The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Apple’s iPhone will be forced to make the switch to USB-C in the EU

Apple’s iPhone line will be forced to make the jump to USB-C, at least in the European Union (EU).

EU member states and legislators have agreed to mandate a single mobile charging port in smartphones, tablets and cameras. This will force some manufacturers to ditch the ageing micro-USB port, most notably, Apple will need to kill off its proprietary Lightning technology.

The agreement, which is the first of its kind, will force all devices released in late 2024 to feature USB-C and does not apply to devices released prior to the new rules. While most major smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung, LG, Huawei and more, have moved to USB-C, Apple continues to feature its Lightning port in its iPhone line, entry-level iPad and several accessories.

“Today we have made the common charger a reality in Europe,” said the European Parliament’s rapporteur Alex Agius Saliba in a press statement. “European consumers were frustrated long with multiple chargers piling up with every new device. Now they will be able to use a single charger for all their portable electronics.”

It’s also worth noting that the EU’s legislation includes provisions tied toward a unified wireless and fast-charging standard. The EU says that its USB-C mandate could save consumers 250 million euros per year on charger purchases and cut down on 11,000 tonnes of e-waste.

Given rumours point to Apple already testing iPhones equipped with USB-C, it appears the tech giant was ready for this change. What’s still unclear is if this means Apple will move its entire iPhone line over to USB-C worldwide or if a specific USB-C model of the device will be sold in the EU. The latter situation is far more possible given it’s not likely Apple would sell iPhone models with substantial hardware differences in various regions.

With this in mind, Apple likely won’t make the switch USB-C until the release of its 2023 iPhone models.

Source: EU Parliament Council Via: Bloomberg, The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

EU’s proposal for a common charging port gains ground

The European Union’s bid to require all gadget manufacturers to use a USB-C charging port in their smartphones, tablets, headphones and other gadgets might soon become a reality.

According to a Reuters report, an EU panel backed the proposal today at the European Parliament’s internal market and consumer protection committee, which would take the proposal to an assembly vote next month. The

The committee wants all mobile phones, tablets, headphones, e-readers, low-powered laptops, keyboards, computer mice, earphones, smartwatches, and electronic toys to integrate the USB Type-C connector in future devices. However, some of the devices in the list, like health trackers, watches, and others with a small form factor, might be exempted.

“With half a billion chargers for portable devices shipped in Europe each year, generating 11,000 to 13,000 tonnes of e-waste, a single charger for mobile phones and other small and medium electronic devices would benefit everyone. It will help the environment, further help the re-use of old electronics, save money, and reduce unnecessary costs and inconvenience for both businesses and consumers,” said Alex Agius Saliba, member of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament.

On the other hand, thousands of old chargers, that would be rendered useless for new devices would also end up as e-waste. The same was echoed by Apple, according to Reuters. Apple says the proposal would hurt innovation and create a mountain of waste if consumers were forced to switch to new chargers.

If the parliament as a whole approves the proposal during May’s assembly vote, members of parliament would then start talks with the EU governments on finalizing the legislation.

Source: European Parliament, Reuters

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Mobile Syrup

Sweeping EU tech legislation could force messaging apps to work together

Source: Shutterstock

The big news in tech today is that the European Union (EU) reached an agreement on its ‘Digital Markets Act’ (DMA) that aims to “make the digital sector fairer and more competitive.”

Like the EU’s GDPR, the DMA will have wide-reaching impacts, specifically on the world’s biggest tech companies: Google, Apple, Amazon, Meta (Facebook), etc. At least, it will in the EU — Canadians likely won’t be directly impacted, although some of the new regulations in the DMA may have knock-on effects outside Europe (more on this at the end).

To start, let’s dig into some of the biggest changes the DMA brings to tech in Europe.

EU comes for Big Tech

The DMA is set up to target what the EU calls “gatekeepers,” defined as companies controlling one or more core platform services in at least three EU members states. Google’s and Apple’s smartphone app stores are great examples of this since they’re core services available in multiple European countries. However, services like search engines, social networks, cloud services, advertising, voice assistants, web browsers, and more also fall under this umbrella.

Along with the gatekeeper focus, DMA has certain revenue, valuation, and active user thresholds companies need to meet before the regulations take effect. These requirements mean the DMA almost exclusively applies to big tech companies like those mentioned above.

The DMA also outlines punishments for companies that don’t play by the rules. The legislation spells out fines of up to 10 percent of a company’s global turnover, and up to 20 percent for repeat offenders. Companies that fail to comply at least three times in eight years can be subject to a European Commission market investigation and, “if necessary,” the commission could break up those companies or prevent them from making new acquisitions.

Rules target data sharing and default apps

Some of the new rules in the DMA are fairly straightforward. For example, the DMA now requires that companies allow users to use only specific parts of their services with the ability to unsubscribe from other parts. Android Police suggest using YouTube but not Gmail or Android as an example of this.

Moreover, under the DMA, companies must explicitly ask users for permission to use their data across different services.

Perhaps one of the more significant requirements of the DMA is that core software can no longer be the default upon installation of an operating system. For example, that would mean no more default web browsers — a blow to both Google’s Chrome and Microsoft’s Edge.

That said, it’s worth noting the EU has already forced Google to unbundle Chrome and Search on Android devices sold in the EU. Instead, users get to choose their preferred browser and search engine during set-up. I’m interested to see how this particular rule will apply to things like Chrome OS, where the operating system and browser are effectively the same thing.

However, this rule applies to hardware too. For example, the DMA requires that developers be able to access supplementary smartphone functions like NFC chips. That’s a blow to Apple, which only allows its payment services to work with the iPhone’s NFC chip. Under the DMA, the chip would become accessible to third-party payment services.

Message interoperability is an interesting, but troublesome addition

One of the most significant additions in the DMA is a requirement for companies to “ensure the interoperability of their instant messaging services’ basic functionalities.”

In other words, messaging services would need to open up their platforms to allow cross-service messaging. On the one hand, this seems like it’d potentially solve the frustrating problem of trying to get all your friends using the same messaging service. On the other, it would likely be a total nightmare to implement.

Just off the top of my head, that’d mean opening up iMessage, WhatsApp (and Meta’s various other chat apps), Telegram, Signal, Google’s RCS system and Hangouts, and many more, to somehow work with each other (although some of the smaller services may be exempt from the DMA). It’s not impossible — WhatsApp and Signal, for example, rely on the same method for encrypting messages and so theoretically could be interoperable. Meta is also working to tie all of its chat apps together so WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook users can all get messages in one place.

Aside from the technical complexity of making interoperable messaging, there’s the question of whether developers would even want this. For example, Signal prides itself on its encryption and security — the app is often used as a messaging tool for journalists to securely contact sources. But if it were to become interoperable as per the DMA, it could pose a risk to the encryption and trust Signal has built up over years if suddenly those messages are tied into a system also used by Meta and Google.

Assuming message interoperability is implemented well with strong encryptions and protections for consumers, I could see a unified system generally being a net positive. But, I have my doubts that’s what we’ll get.

Will the DMA impact Canadians?

The short answer is probably not, although as with anything, it’s complicated. My best guess is that the DMA will not directly impact Canadians, although some of the broader requirements of the new regulations may have ripple effects.

I think it really depends on how deep changes will need to go. Things like the new default apps requirements will likely not reach beyond Europe, judging by how Google handled its previous unbundling of Chrome and Android in the EU.

At the same time, I think requirements like messaging interoperability could extend beyond the EU considering the technical complexity of implementing such a solution. If companies have to go through all the work of making messaging platforms work together in the EU, why not expand that capability to other countries too?

Finally, as noted by The Verge, the DMA hasn’t passed yet. The EU still needs to finalize the language of the legislation before it’s approved by Parliament and Council. However, the DMA could come into force sometime in October, so it’s not that far out. If and when the DMA does pass, I expect some companies will challenge it. Plus, the EU will likely grant companies time to meet the obligations of the legislation.

It’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out and, if the DMA is successful, it may pave the way for restrictions on big tech in other countries too.

Header image credit: Shutterstock

Source: Android Police, The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

European Union could force all smartphone manufacturers to use USB-C charging

Europe could soon require all smartphone manufacturers to use USB-C charging, according to a new EU Commission ruling proposal.

The commission says the proposal aims to reduce e-waste and the “consumer inconvenience” resulting from different chargers. The commission also mentions that it wants manufacturers to stop selling chargers alongside electronic devices to minimize e-waste further.

“With today’s proposal… USB-C will become the standard port for all smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers and handheld videogame consoles,” reads the report.

The report then says that it has reduced the number of mobile chargers in Europe from 30 to just three, with Apple’s proprietary Lightning port part of the smaller list. The report states that roughly 20 percent of devices sold in Europe feature the Lightning port, but that the EU wants to change this — possibly by forcing Apple to adopt USB-C.

EU executive vice president Margrethe Vestager made the following statement in the report:

“European consumers were frustrated long enough about incompatible chargers piling up in their drawers. We gave industry plenty of time to come up with their own solutions, now time is ripe for legislative action for a common charger. This is an important win for our consumers and environment and in line with our green and digital ambitions.”

As you may have already guessed, Apple has resisted the shift to USB-C in the past concerning the EU’s efforts. For example, last year, when the organization voted on the concept of a standard charger, Apple released a statement stating that adopting USB-C would “stifle innovation.”

In a statement to the BBC, Apple said, “We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world.”

With the release of the iPhone 12, Apple stopped including a charging brick in the box of its smartphones, citing environmental concerns related to materials and shipping costs. This move also likely saved the tech giant a lot of money. The company has also shifted to USB-C charging with several of its other devices, including Macs, most iPad models and its accompanying ecosystem of accessories. Some Android devices from companies like Samsung, for example, also no longer include chargers in their boxes.

It’s unclear if this law will go through, given it’s still in the proposal stages and must first be passed by lawmakers and several governments. However, it’s possible that in a few years, Apple could be forced to adopt USB-C for the iPhones it sells in Europe.

Source: European Union, BBC Via: Engadget