I read an opinion piece by Macworld’s David Price regarding the EU’s recent ruling1 to make USB-C the standard port on all smartphones by 2024. Currently, Apple is the only major phone vendor that does not use USB-C—they use a proprietary Lightning port2—and Price tries to argue how this new regulation is good for Apple (and consumers). Unfortunately, his logic is antiquated.
From the article “Why the death of Lightning is good for Apple”:
There are lots of benefits if the industry can coalesce around a single charging standard. It makes sense for consumers, who can more easily reuse chargers from old devices and don’t have to worry about packing a compatible charger. [..]
This was an issue when phone chargers had attached power supplies, but that’s not the case now. Power adapters and cables have been separate for years, and modern USB-C chargers will work with any cable whether it’s USB-C to USB-C for Android phones or USB-C to Lightning for iPhones. Reusing chargers has been a thing for a while. (He also doesn’t address wireless charging, which is universally supported.)
On the subject of packing, anyone who frequently travels has a multi device charger already, a necessity that was borne less out of the need to have multiple types of chargers but rather the need to charge multiple devices at once.
Accessories are certainly a lucrative side business that Apple will be reluctant to endanger, but as far as lock-in is concerned, it’s worth bearing in mind that standardization means customers can also leave your rivals and come to you. Given that there are considerably more Android than iPhone users in the world, and that Apple prides itself on its customer loyalty and user experience, one would think the company would be licking its lips at the prospect of easier platform switching.
I don’t understand this rational. Would someone not buy a $430 device—the cost of the entry level iPhone SE—because they might need to purchase a $20 cable? Android phones are more popular because they are cheap (and often cheaply made), not because they are USB-C.
John Gruber of Daring Fireball commented on this in a post from September, 2021, and it includes some good pull quotes and links. It’s worth a read.
[..] This is like a parody of overzealous regulation of something that is not in need of any regulation at all. Why not mandate that all phones, tablets, and cameras have to run the same operating system, too? Oh, you say, it’s only about reducing waste? Why not mandate that all phones must be the same size and shape, so that they’re all compatible with the exact same cases? Great idea.
At least I agree with Price’s last paragraph:
No, the main fly in the ointment is simply this: legislation moves slowly, and it’s hard to trust political bodies to keep up with the progress of technological innovation. [..] When USB-C becomes outdated, will it take another decade to agree on the next standard? We hope not.
Unfortunately, I think we already have our answer.