iPhone 15 is coming subsequent month, and a number of rumors counsel Apple will lastly swap from its proprietary Lightning connector to USB-C. Whereas this has a number of benefits, Apple is probably going getting forward of a brand new European Union legislation that makes USB-C obligatory for smartphones. And now Saudi Arabia is doing the identical by forcing gadget makers to embrace the USB-C connector.
Units bought in Saudi Arabia will need to have USB-C
As reported by Khaleej Occasions (by way of GSMArena), Saudi Arabia’s native regulator has decided that USB-C will turn into the usual connector for digital gadgets. The primary stage is about to start on January 1, 2025, when new smartphones and equipment like headphones, keyboards, audio system, and routers bought within the nation can be required to have USB-C.
Within the second stage, which begins on April 1, 2026, each laptop computer or different transportable pc (which incorporates tablets just like the iPad) can even be required to have a USB-C connector.
The native regulator argues that the choice was made to “enhance person expertise and scale back prices,” as USB-C permits for quicker information switch speeds and in addition helps scale back digital waste as the thought is to let customers have a single cable for all their gadgets. Within the European Union, the same legislation will take impact on December 28, 2024.
Different international locations have additionally been contemplating making USB-C obligatory. Final 12 months, Brazilian regulatory company Anatel proposed requiring smartphone producers to switch another connectors with USB-C. The US Commerce Division is additionally contemplating adopting the same coverage sooner or later, though no choice has been made but.
Apple is the primary goal of such legal guidelines
Though legal guidelines like this are aimed toward all gadget makers, Apple is actually the corporate that can be most affected. That’s as a result of the iPhone and equipment like AirPods and Magic Mouse nonetheless depend on Lightning, a proprietary connector launched by the corporate in 2012.
Apple started transitioning to USB-C in 2015 with the 12-inch MacBook, and since then has been slowly bringing the connector to extra gadgets. Presently, the whole Mac and iPad lineup has USB-C, as do Beats headphones. The iPhone 15 fashions are anticipated to be the primary to have USB-C as an alternative of Lightning, which is able to assist Apple adjust to legal guidelines requiring the brand new connector.
At first, some individuals believed that Apple may create particular iPhone fashions with USB-C for Europe, however that now appears extremely unlikely as extra international locations have been requiring such a connector. And because the iPhone will get USB-C, equipment like AirPods must also get up to date with the brand new port within the close to future.
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