Charging ports for iPhones could become a thing of the past as wireless charging technologies become more advanced and highly efficient. Thus, the company Apple has considered launching the first models of iPhone devices without ports, only with wireless charging, in the future.
Apple However, there were some emotions in making this decision due to legislation in the European Union. This has forced the American company to abandon the cable in the past. Lightning in favor of the universal charging port, to comply with the EU Common Charger Directive. This law aims to reduce electronic waste caused by the use of different types of charging ports. Thus, all devices sold in the EU must have a common port, and USB-C has become the adopted standard, gradually replacing microUSB.
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Will the iPhone 17 Air be the first iPhone without charging ports?
The European Union confirmed that Apple can produce a completely portless iPhone, including without USB-C, without violating European law. This clarification comes in the context of speculation about the iPhone 17 Air, which is announced to be the thinnest model Apple so far. Although the idea of a phone without ports has been floated, Apple decided to keep USB-C on the iPhone 17 Air devices, initially fearing possible conflicts with EU regulations.
According to Bloomberg, Apple Apple initially considered eliminating ports entirely for the iPhone 17 Air, opting instead for wireless charging and cloud data transfer. However, the company scrapped the idea, in part due to alleged concerns about EU regulations.
The EU directive does not require manufacturers to include a USB-C port, but only specifies that if a device has a wired charging port, it must be USB-C. Federica Miccoli, a spokesperson for the European Commission, confirmed that a portless phone that relies solely on wireless charging is perfectly compliant with the law, as it does not require a wired charging solution.
Future iPhone without USB-C ports
While the iPhone 17 Air will retain the USB-C port, the EU confirmation paves the way for a completely portless iPhone in the future. With wireless technology constantly evolving and standards already aligned, Apple could take this step soon, offering a minimalist and innovative design, perfectly legal in the European Union.
Related: MagSafe or USB-C for fast charging iPhone 15?
Our bet is that by 2027 at the latest the company Apple will come to market with the first iPhone device with exclusive charging via MagSafe.
