Officials within the European Union are hoping to mandate charging standards, and Apple, predictably, isn’t happy about it. Under a floated European Commission proposal, USB-C would become the only standard for wired smartphone charging, since proprietary formats like Apple’s Lightning prevent people from reusing cables and many other accessories. In fact, the initiative would cover more than just phones — headphones, portable speakers, and tablets are just some of the other targeted devices.
In protest, Apple claims that the proposal would stifle innovation, but that was shot down by Anna Cavazzini, the chair of the European Parliament’s consumer protection committee, who pointed out that if something better than USB-C emerged, the rules would adapt. It’s not like Apple is facing an imminent threat either, since standardization would come into force in 2024 at the earliest.