The European Union adopted a new plan on Tuesday that will require all smartphones and tablets to use a common charging port, placing Apple under the gun to adapt and abandon its customary Lightning charging port or lose access to European markets.
The plan, which calls for all smartphones, tablets, and digital cameras to use the USB-C charger, was provisionally approved by negotiators in the European Commission, though it still requires formal approval in the European Parliament and the 27 constituent countries of the union.
“Today we have made the common charger a reality in Europe! European consumers were frustrated long with multiple chargers piling up with every new device. Now they will be able to use a single charger for all their portable electronics,” the European Parliament stated in its press release….