Apple will quickly cease promoting sure iPhone fashions within the 27 international locations that belong to the Europe Union (EU). As 2024 involves an finish and 2025 begins, the third-gen iPhone SE and the iPhone 14 sequence will now not be bought within the EU. They’re the one telephones nonetheless out there from Apple that use Apple’s proprietary Lightning charger and port for charging and knowledge switch. The issue is that because of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), beginning in January 2025 all telephones bought in EU international locations will need to have a USB-C port and cost utilizing a USB-C cable.
The purpose is to cut back digital waste within the 27 EU member international locations by standardizing charging cables. With the brand new rule, customers switching from iOS to Android and vice versa will not have to make use of a brand new charging cable to cost or switch knowledge on their new telephones. This reduces the variety of unused cables getting tossed in landfills. The primary full iPhone sequence to characteristic a USB-C charging port was final 12 months’s iPhone 15 sequence.
Certain, Apple might have determined to construct new variations of the iPhone 14 line and third-gen iPhone SE with a USB-C port and bought them in Europe. Nonetheless, the tech large determined simply to drop these fashions from its lineup on the continent. Elsewhere, equivalent to within the U.S., the iPhone 14 sequence and the third-gen iPhone SE with Lightning ports will nonetheless be out there till subsequent spring when the iPhone SE 4 might be launched. That mannequin will sport a USB-C port in all markets.
Earlier than the proprietary Lightning cable was launched, the iPhone used a giant 30-pin cable for charging and to switch knowledge. | Picture credit-Walmart
The iPhone SE 4 would be the first finances iPhone mannequin to be outfitted with an edge-to-edge show, the Notch, and Face ID. The design of the telephone might be based mostly on the iPhone 14
though it can embrace 8GB of RAM and probably be powered by the A18 utility processor (AP) in order that the telephone can help Apple Intelligence.
The iPhone 14 sequence will stay out there outdoors of Europe till the iPhone 17 line is launched subsequent September. At that time, the iPhone 14 sequence will now not be bought by Apple in all markets ending the Lightning port period for the iPhone. The primary iPhone to return with the Lightning port and cost with the Lightning cable was the iPhone 5, launched in 2012. Earlier than that, the iPhone used a 30-pin charger beginning with the unique iPhone in 2007 operating by means of 2011’s iPhone 4s.
