India May Exempt Certain Devices From Law That Would Force USB-C Port

India is considering exempting certain products from a proposed law that would force a selection of consumer electronic devices to adopt a USB-C port. Among the devices being possibly exempted, AirPods could be included.

airpods usb c ken pillonel
According to a report from Mint, citing a senior Indian official, the government is considering exempting featurephones, wearables, and hearables from a proposed law that would require USB-C on devices. The official cites device makers and stakeholders as having shared concerns that mandating those products to adopt the universal port would result in costs increasing for consumers.

While the specific definition of the exempted devices has yet to be decided, the definition of hearables could include Apple's line of AirPods. The EU has already passed a law that requires devices sold in the region to have a USB-C port by 2024, including AirPods. Under the EU's regulation, Apple would be required to switch the AirPods to USB-C, even if the Indian requirement says differently.

Apple's vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak, previously confirmed that Apple would have to switch the iPhone to USB-C. While reports suggest the iPhone 15 later this fall may make the switch away from Lightning, according to the EU's deadline for the USB-C law, Apple could wait until the iPhone 17 in 2025 before moving to the faster and more universal port.

Tags: USB-C, India

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

iPhone 17 Rumored to Feature Mechanical Aperture

Tuesday July 23, 2024 9:32 am PDT by
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...

Top Rated Comments

Eorlas Avatar
21 months ago
there's 0% reason for these exclusions to exist, unless a politician is trying to pander to tech companies that have not fully made this swap yet.

but what's the point, if the EU mandates it, apple will just fully make the switch. they're not going to design two sets of iphones and airpods that have different ports.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gudi Avatar
21 months ago

Just make the switch to USB-C across the board. It's time to move on Apple from the Lightning Port. It's outdated, 10 years old. Time for a change!
Next year USB-C is going to be 10 years old. Time to move on!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
21 months ago
Just make the switch to USB-C across the board. It's time to move on Apple from the Lightning Port. It's outdated, 10 years old. Time for a change!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vicviper789 Avatar
21 months ago
I wish my AirPods could use the 30 pin connector /s
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
enterthemerdaverse Avatar
21 months ago
Micro USB should be banned globally. The worst version of USB.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nostaws Avatar
21 months ago
I’d really like it to be USB C.

That being said, I don’t think government should be telling private companies what to do/run their businesses (in most cases).
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)