The iPhone 15 could sow discord with Europe if the Cupertino-based company decides to voluntarily restrict its USB-C-equipped models.
Apple has long agreed to fulfill the European Union’s commitment to integrating a common charging standard into its smartphones. As the EU opted for USB-C for mobile devices, the entire iPhone 15 line should have a USB-C port when announced in a few months. Shortly after Apple’s brand chief confirmed that this transition would indeed happen in 2023, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo speculated that the Cupertino-based company could eventually limit transfer and charging speeds on its entry-level iPhone models and accessories without MFI certified. This has not been confirmed or denied by Apple, but the European Union seems to have taken note.
iPhone 15 could sow discord with Europe
A few days ago, Alex Agius Saliba of the European Parliament spoke at a meeting organized by the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO). During the speech, Mr. Saliba confirmed that the parliament sees this possible initiative as an attempt to “circumvent the single charger law”passed by the EU. He also argued that such an operation by Apple would be proof that the Cupertino company’s lobbying for this universal charger commitment was ultimately only about wanting to make a profit with its own charging standard. Thus, he blamed, in particular, the fact of making anti-consumer decisions under the guise of innovation and concern for the environment. In another tweet, he scolded Apple for not attending the meeting. organized around this commitment to the Universal Charger. The panel members took the opportunity to try to get clarification on this rumor about limiting download and transfer speeds on their iPhone in USB-C.
Will Apple get in trouble with the law in Europe?
Since the Cupertino-based company has yet to formalize anything regarding this possibility of limiting the charging speed, IMCO did not mention the possibility of legal intervention. IMCO’s main point of contention is whether Apple can implement a feature that will only allow official USB-C accessories to be used with its USB-C iPhones and keep the competition going.
At present, IMCO does not seem to take into account the existence of the Made For iPhone (MFI) program, which allows third parties to design and manufacture iPhone accessories that meet the quality standards of the Apple brand. Apple claims that the MFI certification serves as a guarantee of quality and prevents users from falling into the hands of low-quality products that could damage the brand’s devices. However, Apple’s intentions regarding the MFI program are not entirely noble, given that the American giant receives a commission on the sale of each MFI-certified accessory.
Currently, IMCO views these potential restrictions as an anti-competitive initiative that would completely violate consumer rights. Time will tell if both sides can figure it all out before the launch of the iPhone 15 next September.
Video excerpt from today’s discussion about the common charger – developing new technologies
See the full statement of Chief MEP @alexagiussaliba (starts at 15:42) and share with @EU_Commission here 📽️ https://t.co/MDcRY96xk2 https://t.co/Ys5SRuEaGu pic.twitter.com/iDaZJBVH9G
— IMCO Committee Press (@EP_SingleMarket) March 28, 2023