The Apple iPhone 17 Air is set to be the thinnest iPhone ever. SecondaryMarket.news reported earlier that Apple even considered making it its first portless smartphone. Ultimately, the company decided against this move, in part due to concerns over EU regulations. However, the European Commission has confirmed now that a fully portless Apple iPhone would not violate its rules. Apple was required to replace its proprietary Lightning port with USB-C to comply with the EU’s Common Charger Directive. The regulation aims to reduce electronic waste by standardizing charging ports across consumer devices. The deadline for compliance was 28 December 2024, prompting Apple to stop selling its remaining Lightning-equipped models, such as the Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone SE, ahead of the deadline. Most certainly this will give a boost to accessory manufacturers like Zens, that sell wireless options globally.
Why Apple abandoned its portless idea
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple had considered removing the USB-C port from the Apple iPhone 17 Air in favor of wireless charging and cloud-based data transfers. However, the company reportedly feared that this would not align with the EU’s mandate, leading to potential regulatory issues. There is a flip side to this. How will Apple continue to accomodate file sharing using a cable and Carplay?
The EU confirms portless iPhones are legal
Despite Apple’s concerns, the European Commission clarified that a phone without a wired charging port would be fully compliant with the law. The Common Charger Directive states that if a device has a wired charging option, it must use USB-C—but it does not mandate a wired port. European Commission press officer Federica Miccoli confirmed that a portless smartphone would not violate EU rules.
Future of wireless charging in the EU
The EU aims to harmonize wireless charging technologies to prevent fragmentation and ensure consumer convenience. Apple has already contributed its MagSafe technology to the Wireless Power Consortium, where it is now part of the Qi2 standard. This means a future Apple iPhone with only MagSafe charging would be legally viable in the European market.
We expect a fully portless iPhone is coming soon
Apple may not introduce a portless phone with the Apple iPhone 17 Air, but the confirmation from the EU makes it clear that such a device is possible. With Apple continuing to push advancements in wireless technology, a fully portless iPhone could be inevitable in the near future.
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