Just last week, it was suggested that the European Union might create a law which would force smartphone makers from all over the globe to adopt a common charging standard – and yes, this also includes Apple. The EU believes that consumers as well as the environment would benefit if all the phones used the same type of charger.
However, Apple was soon to respond, as it claimed that adopting a common charger would stifle innovation within the smartphone industry. It also said that if this were indeed to become a law, then it would create a heap of e-waste and would also harm consumers.
Apple goes on to use Lighting chargers with most of its iPhones, and as you might have guessed from the company’s outrage – it stands to lose the most if this law was to be implemented. A huge amount of revenue that the company garners up each year comes from the sale of accessories – like chargers, lighting cables and adapters.
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On the other hand, as far as Android companies are concerned, they already have implemented the use of USB-C charging and so in practice, it shouldn’t really be too hard for Apple to get on board.
Regardless of this though, in a recent statement, the company said : “We believe regulation that forces conformity across the type of connector built into all smartphones stifles innovation.”
The company continued by saying that such a move may also harm the European economy, and to support its claim, the company took upon itself to adopt a commissioned study by Copenhagen Economics outlining the potential consumer harm from a mandatory move towards a common charger.
The study went on to point that at the end of it all, it would actually cost consumers €1.5 billion if indeed the regulation comes into practice, outweighing the €13 million linked with environmental benefits.
