Plans have been put forward by the European Union (EU) for phone manufacturers to provide the same charger to every phone, including the iPhone.
The European Commission has said that the USB-C should be used across all devices for environmental reasons - including not only phones but tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers and handheld video game consoles.
It also suggests that the sale of phones and their chargers should be separated, to avoid scenarios where lots of chargers are lying in drawers unused.
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The aim is to reduce waste by encouraging consumers to re-use existing chargers when buying a new device.
Margrethe Vestager, executive vice-president for the European Commission’s Europe Fit for the Digital Age strategy, said the time has come for the commission to take matters into its own hands.
“European consumers were frustrated long enough about incompatible chargers piling up in their drawers,” she said in a statement.
“We gave industry plenty of time to come up with their own solutions, now time is ripe for legislative action for a common charger. This is an important win for our consumers and environment and in line with our green and digital ambitions.”
Around half of chargers sold with mobile phones in the EU in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, while 29% had a USB C connector and 21% a Lightning connector, a Commission impact assessment study in 2019 found.
New models of the iPad and MacBook use USB-C charging ports, as do Android manufacturers such as Samsung and Huawei.
Apple's iPhones use an Apple made "Lightning" connector. Apple has criticised the proposals, saying they threaten to damage innovation.
The European Commission said “full interoperability is required on both sides of the cable: the electronic device and the external power supply”. The new regulations would ensure that is the case, it said.
The new proposals will have to be adopted by the European parliament and the council. If it gets through, manufacturers will be given 24 months to adapt before they are legally obliged to do so.
The proposals also require better information for customers about their devices when they buy them, such as details on how much power it uses and whether it supports fast charging.
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