The European Union (EU) announced this summer that most mobile electronics, including smartphones, would have to include a USB-C port for charging at some point in the future. The EU has finally determined that date. Starting December 28, 2024, most mobile gadgets will have to include USB-C charging.
The ruling from the EU pertains to a variety of electronics categories, including smartphones. In order for manufacturers to sell their gadgets in EU member states, they have to be able to be charged via USB-C.
Laptops will have to include USB-C charging some time in 2026.
The news about the EU’s push to a standardized charging method garnered a lot of attention primarily for one reason: the iPhone. Apple’s flagship phone has relied on a proprietary port for both data and charging since its inception in 2008. Apple’s iPhones used a 30-pin connector before switching to the current Lightning form factor with the iPhone 5 in 2012. Even the latest iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro lines continue to use Apple’s proprietary port.
Keep in mind that the USB-C standards covers a wide variety of specs as far as voltages, charging speeds, and data transfer rates go. USB-C is simply the form factor, or shape, of the connector. The hardware in the wiring can vary radically. For instance, USB-C can pertain to a USB 2.0 cable with transfer rates that cap out at 480 MB/s or to a Thunderbolt 4 cable with rates up to 80 Gbps, roughly 167 times faster than USB 2.0. USB-C chargers can also vary in charging rates, ranging from 1 Watt up to roughly 240 Watts in the newest cables.
Buy a Minix 66 Watt USB-C fast charger with US, UK, and EU plugs at Amazon.
I’ve been a computer geek my entire life. After graduating college with a degree in Mathematics, I worked in finance and banking a few years before taking a job as a database administrator. I started working with Notebookcheck in October of 2016 and have enjoyed writing news and reviews. I’ve also written for other outlets including UltrabookReview and GeeksWorldWide, focusing on consumer guidance and video gaming. My areas of interest include the business side of technology, retro gaming, Linux, and innovative gadgets. When I’m not writing on electronics or tinkering with a device, I’m either outside with my family, enjoying a decade-old video game, or playing drums or piano.
