- The European Commission confirmed that smartphones without wired charging ports are not required to have a USB-C connector under current regulations.
- Apple considered launching the iPhone 17 Air as its first portless device but decided against it partly due to concerns about EU regulatory response.
- The Common Charger Directive mandates only that devices with wired charging must use USB-C but allows for entirely wireless designs, paving the way for potential fully wireless smartphones.
Apple took a big leap towards standardization when it adopted the USB-C port on the iPhone 15 series. However, the company has long been reported to dream of a future with portless iPhones. This dream was on shaky grounds, as the EU legislation that brought in USB-C ports on iPhones would continue to keep the port on them, or so it was presumed. As it turns out, the EU is okay if Apple removes the USB-C port from its iPhones.
A recent Bloomberg report suggested that the upcoming iPhone 17 Air would have been the company’s first portless iPhone. However, Apple ultimately decided against it, partly because removing the USB-C port would have been against EU legislation.