Recently, the EU has presented several new laws and guidelines that all companies operating within the EU must follow.
Many of them are related to everyday technology, mainly mobile phones.
For example, Apple has been forced to make major changes to its iPhones following the EU’s new requirements. Soon, users will be able to delete pre-installed apps, choose a different default browser than Safari and download apps from app stores other than the App Store.
News24 has previously reported on how these changes may affect you as an iPhone user and when they occur.
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There are many changes happening in iPhones right now. Photo: Unsplash The new directive forces mobile manufacturers to adapt
Another much talked about EU directive that affects mobile phones has to do with phone charging.
In the past, different phones have required different charging cables, but starting December 28th, that will change. In that case, USB-C will be the only charging type that is permitted.
The EU has been pushing for a common standard for chargers for over a decade, and now it has finally become a reality. The aim is to reduce electronic waste and make it easier and more economical for consumers.
This directive has also forced Apple to change – the company’s latest and upcoming iPhones all have USB-C charging.
EU forces Apple to stop using its own chargers. Photo: William Dondyk / Alamy / Stella Pictures
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iPhone’s old charger
Most previous iPhone models – everything from the iPhone 5 to the iPhone 14 – have not had USB-C, but Apple’s own “Lightning”. Apple no longer sells the majority of these models, but they are available for purchase on the secondary market.
According to a report from the research firm CCS Insight, as the site The Register has taken note, 12 to 15 million used iPhones are currently being imported into Europe for resale.
Apple’s own “Lightning” charger on the left, USB-C on the right. Photo: Oleksii Arama / Alamy / Stella Pictures
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Eight million phones can no longer be sold
However, the EU’s new law could have a major negative impact on the secondary market for smartphones. Namely, it says that it will not be allowed to import phones without USB-C charging from countries outside the EU.
This means that approximately eight million phones (together worth over SEK 20 billion), corresponding to 40 percent of all smartphones on the European second-hand market, will no longer be able to be sold in Europe after the turn of the year, according to CSS Insight’s report.
Phones without USB-C that are already in the EU, on the other hand, may be sold even after the law comes into force.
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