EU Confirms Apple Can Make a Portless iPhone Without USB-C

The European Union has confirmed that Apple can legally produce a portless iPhone, dispelling concerns that such a device would conflict with existing regulations. The iPhone 17 Air is anticipated to be the slimmest iPhone yet, and recent reports indicated that Apple considered making it the first completely portless phone. However, the company ultimately opted against this decision, partly due to fears of regulatory repercussions from the EU.

Apple’s Forced Switch to USB-C

Apple’s transition from its proprietary Lightning port to USB-C was mandated by the EU’s Common Charger Directive, aimed at reducing electronic waste. The legislation was introduced to address the issue of consumers needing multiple chargers for different devices, which led to unnecessary waste. As a result, the EU required all devices sold within its borders to adopt a common charging port.

Initially, the proposed legislation would have standardized the outdated microUSB as the common port. Fortunately, by the time the law was finalized, USB-C had emerged as the new standard, which was then incorporated into the legislation. While Apple had already adopted USB-C for its Macs and iPads, it continued to use the Lightning port for iPhones until the law mandated a switch.

As the January 2025 deadline approached, Apple discontinued sales of the last remaining iPhones with Lightning ports, namely the iPhone SE and iPhone 14, just before the cutoff.

Bloomberg Reports on Apple’s Portless iPhone Consideration

Speculation about Apple dropping wired charging has circulated for some time, with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reporting that the company considered this for the iPhone 17 Air. The ambitious idea was to create a completely port-free iPhone, eliminating the USB-C connector and relying solely on wireless charging and cloud data syncing. Many believe the market is ready for such a shift.

Despite these considerations, Apple ultimately decided to retain the USB-C connector for the iPhone 17 Air. Concerns about potential conflicts with EU regulations played a significant role in this decision, as the EU had mandated the switch to USB-C.

EU Confirms Portless Phones Are Permitted

However, it has been clarified that the Common Charger Directive does not explicitly require a USB-C port on all devices. Instead, it states that if a device includes a wired charging port, it must be USB-C. This distinction means that a portless phone would be compliant with the law.

European Commission press officer Federica Miccoli confirmed that devices designed without a wired charging option do not need to incorporate a standardized wired charging solution. This opens the door for Apple to explore a portless design in the future.

EU’s Support for Wireless Charging Standards

The EU is also taking steps to promote and harmonize wireless charging standards to prevent market fragmentation and protect consumers and the environment. The Commission will monitor the evolution of various wireless charging technologies, focusing on interoperability, energy efficiency, and overall performance.

Notably, Apple has already contributed its MagSafe standard to the Wireless Power Consortium, where it has been rebranded as Qi2. This means that a future iPhone featuring only MagSafe charging would be legally permissible for sale in EU countries.

While the iPhone 17 Air may not debut as a fully portless device, the confirmation from the EU suggests that such a model is likely on the horizon.