A new rule proposed by the European Union Commission is likely to make it mandatory for mobile phone manufacturers to adopt a single universal charging solution. An 18-page directive issued by the commission states that using a common charger would benefit consumers and help in reducing electronic waste. However, when we think of this direction, there’s a very prominent question to ask. What will happen to Apple users?

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Apple will probably be the most adversely affected brand by the move as it has special types of chargers available and usable exclusively by iPhone users only and if not revoked or made an exception, the company will have to redesign its product in the region, from scratch. This means billions of investment and not to mention the losses by already produced models.

In this article, we will attempt to analyse in detail why this common phone charger proposal by the EC will have a devastating impact on Apple and not other brands like Samsung and MI that also provide C type chargers for its cell phone models.

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Why Apple will be the most impacted brand by this decision?

Unlike Samsung and Xiaomi which ships their Galaxy and note model smartphones with USB-C ports, Apple uses its proprietary Lightning connector to charge the iPhone. This technology of lightning connector was introduced by Apple in 2012 with the arrival of the iPhone 5 and since then Apple has used the  Lightning connector technology in most of its successful products.

However, Apple’s other products like the iPad Air 4 and MacBooks now uses USB-C instead of a Lightning connecter. But even Apple’s latest iPhone 13 series uses the standard Lightning Connector for charging. 

Thus, the new rules if makes universal chargers mandatory will give a huge financial blow to Apple, but that’s not the only concern. For, years, Apple in terms of its ideation and brand image has resisted putting the standard port in its devices, especially on the iPhone. 

By removing the Lightning connector from the iPhone means Apple will take a hit on its lucrative accessories business because there is an ecosystem around a Lightning Connector and killing it immediately will create an issue for the accessories makers, plus the move could be troublesome especially for consumers.