EU approves phone charger reform, forcing Apple to adapt - Reuters

BRUSSELS, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Apple (AAPL.O) will have to change the charger for its iPhones in the European Union from autumn 2024 to comply with new rules introducing a single charging port for most electronic devices.

The new rules will make USB-C connectors used by Android-based devices the standard across the 27-nation bloc, forcing Apple to change its charging port for iPhones and other devices.

The Parliament extended the original proposal from the EU's executive Commission which covered only seven types of devices.

The change had been discussed for years and was prompted by complaints from iPhone and Android users about having to switch to different chargers for their devices.

The European Commission has estimated that a single charger would save about 250 million euros ($247.3 million) for consumers.

Half the chargers sold with mobile phones in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, while 29% had a USB-C connector and 21% a Lightning connector, which is used by Apple, a 2019 Commission study showed.

Apple is working on an iPhone with a USB-C charging port that could debut next year, Bloomberg reported in May.

The Commission has also been mandated by lawmakers to assess the possible regulation of wireless charging, but an EU official said no decision has been made yet, noting that the technology is not yet mature.