India Considering New Rules That Could Force Apple to Adopt USB-C on iPhone

Following in the footsteps of the EU, India is now in the early stages of considering imposing regulations on consumer products sold in the country that force a universal standard charger, including USB-C, by as early as 2024, Mint reports.

iPhone 15 to Switch From Lightning to USB C in 2023 feature
The EU had reached an agreement earlier this summer that would force Apple to adopt USB-C on the iPhone and AirPods by fall 2024. While the agreement has been reached, the legislation still needs to be formally approved by the European Parliament and European Council later this year before Apple is forced to change its ways.

Officials in India held a meeting earlier this week with industry stakeholders and popular consumer electronic makers to discuss the possible impacts of a common charger. "The meeting will be more of an explorative nature. We will try to learn from the stakeholders how a common charger can be adopted in India. We will also try to understand their concerns," India's secretary of Consumer Affairs told local media outlets.

The EU and India's push towards adopting a "common port" would impact a wide range of devices, including, more specifically, Apple, which has kept the ‌iPhone‌ with the Lightning port since 2012, while other products, such as the Mac and iPad, have largely moved towards USB-C.

Amid pressure to move towards a "common port," rumors from both Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman have said that Apple is testing a USB-C iPhone, which could debut with the iPhone 15 next year. Other Apple products such as the AirPods will follow, according to Kuo.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro and Air Feature

Two iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Colors Appear to Scratch More Easily

Friday September 19, 2025 10:02 am PDT by
As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed. French blog Consomac also reported on this topic. The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black. Images Credit: Consoma ...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone Like 'Two Titanium iPhone Airs' Joined at the Hinge

Monday September 22, 2025 2:16 am PDT by
Next year's rumored foldable iPhone will showcase an ultra-thin design resembling "two titanium iPhone Airs side-by-side," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple's first foldable device will be "super thin and a design achievement," combining Apple's thinnest iPhone form factor with cutting-edge folding...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Coming Soon, Likely With iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Fix

Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

Some iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Users Experiencing Intermittent Wi-Fi Issue

Monday September 22, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple's latest iPhone models launched on Friday, and some early adopters of the devices are experiencing intermittent Wi-Fi issues. Affected customers say Wi-Fi connectivity periodically cuts out on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, with hundreds of comments about the issue posted across the MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and the Apple Support Community over the...
Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

iOS 26.1 Adds New Apple Intelligence Languages and Expands AirPods Live Translation

Monday September 22, 2025 11:15 am PDT by
With iOS 26.1, Apple Intelligence is gaining support for additional languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. Apple announced plans to expand the languages that can be used with Apple Intelligence last year, and now the added language support is here. Apple Intelligence is now available in the following...

Top Rated Comments

Blue Sun Avatar
41 months ago
Why don’t Apple just pull the trigger and add USB-C to the iPhone 14? The Lightning port is not a selling point, in fact, I won’t buy the iPhone 14 if it has a Lightning port.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wanted797 Avatar
41 months ago

I agree with the concept of a "common port" in order to cut down on electronic waste (fewer cables for example.)

I have concerns about USB-C port durability though... My 2016 MBP's ports, by the time I sold it the cables would almost fall out of the sockets. And I didn't use them much apart from charging.

I wish Lightning could be upgraded to match the power delivery & transfer speeds USB-C can offer. It seems a lot more durable.
Pretty sure lighting was designed with strength in mind hence its a solid piece.
I hate how usb c has that thin sliver inside the port. It’s just asking to break over time.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr Fusion Avatar
41 months ago
I agree with the concept of a "common port" in order to cut down on electronic waste (fewer cables for example.)

I have concerns about USB-C port durability though... My 2016 MBP's ports, by the time I sold it the cables would almost fall out of the sockets. And I didn't use them much apart from charging.

I wish Lightning could be upgraded to match the power delivery & transfer speeds USB-C can offer. It seems a lot more durable.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nicolas_s Avatar
41 months ago

Apple will have long switched to USB-C across its product line by the time these government regulations work their way through their legislative bureaucracies.
I think they're just waiting to be forced to switch so they can answer "blame it on the govs" to everyone that will try to blame them for the millions of accessories that will be useless. The same answer for those who will accuse them of planned obsolescence.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yellowbunny Avatar
41 months ago
I’m travelling at the moment. Everything else uses USB C apart from out iPhones… lightning seems so backwards now, especially with our iPads now using the more modern connector too.

I guess they want to squeeze as much money out of lightning connectors before everyone can just use other/cheaper accessories.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zakarhino Avatar
41 months ago

I agree with the concept of a "common port" in order to cut down on electronic waste (fewer cables for example.)

I have concerns about USB-C port durability though... My 2016 MBP's ports, by the time I sold it the cables would almost fall out of the sockets. And I didn't use them much apart from charging.

I wish Lightning could be upgraded to match the power delivery & transfer speeds USB-C can offer. It seems a lot more durable.
I absolutely agree, lightning has a much more durable design especially because it snaps into place. I've saved my iPhone a few times because I managed to grab the cable before the phone hits the floor. Lightning is so secure it holds the weight of a 13PM, I doubt you can say the same for practically any USB C android flagship (hoping I get proved wrong on this)
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)