Apple is preparing for a major change: the adoption of the USB-C standard on its iPhones due to pressure from the European Union. Despite this forced transition, it is unlikely that you will openly admit it in your next keynote and will take full credit for the change.
Apple, already more than known for its secrecy and total control over its ecosystem, is facing one of the great changes in its history: the transition from its iconic Lightning port to USB-C, prompted by European Union (EU) legislation that demands a universal charging standard. Although the EU has achieved this change, it is unlikely that Apple will openly admit it in its next keynote.
Since Apple introduced the Lightning connector in 2012 with the iPhone 5has maintained an adamant stance against the adoption of USB-C, despite the fact that this technology became the standard in most electronic devices, including Android smartphones.
However, pressure from the EU has been enough to force Apple to follow this rule, and the iPhone 15 series, which will be unveiled at the company’s event on September 12, is expected to eventually adopt the USB-C port. .
This transition, although imposed, has enormous benefits for consumers. For one, the need to carry multiple charging cables will be eliminated, as Android devices and iPhones will share the same standard.
Additionally, iPhone 15 Pro users will enjoy faster charging and data transfer speeds. According to ZDNET, transferring a 75MB ProRAW photo from the iPhone 14 Pro could take about two minutes, while a five-minute 4K ProRes video could take about eight minutes. With the USB-C port, these times will be drastically reduced.
Will Apple dare to cheat with the USB-C cables of the iPhone 15?
It is also true that there is speculation that Apple could limit performance with cables and adapters not certified by them, although this is probably a path you should not go down.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo confirmed that Apple is “optimizing” the speed of MFi-certified chargers for iPhone 15. “I believe Apple will optimize the fast-charging performance of MFi-certified chargers for iPhone 15,” he wrote in a March blog post.
According to Die Zeit, EU Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton wrote a letter to Apple to say that the restrictions involving charging are unacceptable. If Apple imposes such limitations, Breton says the EU will stop iPhones from being sold in member countries.
Credit for better compatibility will go to Apple and won’t acknowledge that it was forced to change
To avoid possible controversy and criticism, Apple could choose not to mention the influence of the EU in its keynote. European lawmakers argued that adopting USB-C would reduce e-waste by standardizing cables and chargers.
Apple, for its part, argued that this would render existing Lightning accessories useless and expressed his dissatisfaction with government interference in his product design decisions.
However, Apple’s strategy could focus on the benefits of greater compatibility with other devices, speeds and also take advantage of mentioning the environmental benefits of reducing electronic waste, as if it were your decision.
On the other hand, the inclusion of this change for the launch of the new iPhone 15 family will cost the company revenue from licensing MFi-certified accessory manufacturers (“Made for iPhone/iPod/iPad”) and the possibility that users now prefer to opt for Android devices, but it is clear that not a word of that at your event.
Despite initial resistance, the only thing that is certain is that consumers will benefit from this transition, as they will be able to share charging cables with friends and family who have iPhones or Android devices.
However, the story behind this transition It once again shows Apple’s determination to maintain control of its ecosystem, even as it is forced to adapt to global standards.
From computer today we will do a special event on September 12 on the occasion of the named event wonderlust that Apple has prepared in which we will tell you all the news as soon as they are announced so that you do not miss anything along the way.