© Reuters. CREDIT IMAGES: Trademark of Apple Inc. is seen hanging from the door of the Apple store on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, New York, US, October 16, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Indian electronics industry partners have agreed to phase out USB-C ports for devices including smartphones and laptops, the Indian government said on Wednesday.
The introduction of USB-C connectors, which are used by many Android devices, is expected to hurt Apple Inc (NASDAQ 🙂 whose iPhones are charged using the Lightning cable at the moment.
The iPhone maker must change the charger for its phones in the European Union from autumn 2024, to comply with new rules that mandate a single charging port for most electronic devices.
“Great consensus has been reached among stakeholders on the adoption of USB Type-C as a charging port for electronic devices,” the Ministry of Consumer Affairs said in a statement after a meeting of government and industry groups representing mobile players.
Another charging port can be installed on phones that do not have the most advanced features of a mobile phone, such as using the Internet to download apps, the ministry said.
A panel has also been formed to review the feasibility of a uniform charging port for smart devices such as headphones and smartwatches, the government said.
The statement did not name any of the companies that participated in the meeting or agreed to the proposed phase-out. The government will conduct a study to assess the environmental impact of changing the uniform manufacturing port, he said.
Apple did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
