Apple Asks Older iPhone Models To Be Exempted From India’s Mandatory Common Charging Port Law

As the Department of Consumer Affairs is in favour of adoption of a standardised charging port for all electronic devices, including wearables, Apple on Tuesday requested its older iPhone models to be exempted from the mandatory uniform charging port rule, said a report by news agency PTI, citing industry sources. Notably, India’s move follows the European Union’s (EU) recent approval of law mandating a universal charger by December 2024 to save consumers money and cut waste. Apple introduced its latest iPhone 15 series with USB-C charging, giving in to the EU legislation.

An Apple representative mentioned the challenge of altering the design for certain older iPhone models produced in India which support the company’s proprietary Lightning charging. While Apple is willing to adopt a uniform charging port, they have requested exemptions for specific legacy devices due to design constraints, the PTI report added, citing sources.

The Consumer Affairs Ministry has floated a proposal to introduce a uniform charging port for all electronic devices in the interest of consumers and cut e-waste in line with LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP-26.

Industry body India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) Chairman Pankaj Mohindroo was quoted as saying by the report that industry is completely aligned with the government  in implementing a Uniform Charging Port regulation in the country to reduce e-waste and promote ease of living for consumers.

A majority of Android smartphones use a USB Type-C port, with only a few opting for micro-USB. They also adopted USB-C chargers much ahead of the iPhone maker. Also, many Apple iPhone models that continue to sell widely in India continue to employ a proprietary Lightning port. Apple will need to transition to the Type-C port to comply with EU regulations when selling iPhones in the European Union.

A recent report by ET Telecom, citing industry analysts, stated that Apple is anticipated to experience reduced shipments of devices, including Apple Watches, iPads, Macs, and AirPods. However, Apple iPhone shipments are said to grow in Indai. Analysts project a decline in Mac shipments ranging from 15% to 18% in the calendar year 2023, while iPad shipments are estimated to decrease by 6% to 8%, according to Counterpoint Research.

It is pertinent to note that Apple iPhone shipments are set to double, at a time when the overall smartphone market is poised to shrink 2 per cent. With 152 million smartphones sold in the calendar year 2022, a 2 per cent decline would result in approximately 149 million units sold in 2023. Apple constituted around 6 per cent of the total sales, accounting for approximately 8.9 million units, the report noted.