Apple recently spoke out against the EU’s proposal to force smartphone manufacturers to pick one port for everyone, saying it would create higher prices and e-waste (via The Sun).
One Port, Higher Prices
The EU’s argument is that this move would create less waste, but Apple disagrees:
Legislation would have a direct negative impact by disrupting the hundreds of millions of active devices and accessories used by our European customers and even more Apple customers worldwide, creating an unprecedented volume of electronic waste and greatly inconveniencing users.
Current estimates put e-waste levels at 51,000 metric tons per year. Apple already uses USB-C ports for its iPad Pro and certain MacBook models. But a complete shift would force accessory manufacturers to abandon their Lightning products in favor of USB-C, which would also create waste.
While I agree with the idea of standardizing on one port, I’m far from convinced. this is a good idea. While USB-C is great now, I’m not sure it should be set in law. In a decade a better standard will come by but oops, USB-C is THE STANDARD and the stone tablets cannot be changed. Someone in Taiwan or the US invents a plug that’s better in every way, but the French or the Serbs, or the Chinese veto updating the standard for political reasons.
This just isn’t the kind of thing you want set in law.
So then Apple should freely license Lightning connectors and standardize on that. Either that or Apexit