Apple unveils iPhone 15 with changes to its USB-C charger

European regulators have passed a rule requiring USB-C charging on electronic devices, forcing the change in Apple's latest iPhones.

Every September for the past decade, Apple has convened the world's media for a marketing event celebrating the creative prowess behind its latest iPhone. He highlighted the shine of the phone's exterior, the sculpture around its cameras and the power of its processors.

But this year, designers and Apple's elite engineers have geared their creative processes and marketing extravagance to the design demands of European regulators, who have passed a rule mandating USB-C charging on electronic devices.

On Tuesday, Apple revealed that its new product line, the iPhone 15, will ditch the company's proprietary Lightning port in favor of Europe-mandated USB-C ports. The company's newest iPhones feature a slightly larger and rounder charging jack than its predecessor, but capable of providing faster charging.

The rule aimed to reduce e-waste and save customers money by making one port compatible on a range of devices. Although Apple has resisted the change, warning that government mandates could stifle innovation, it will allow the same USB-C cord that powers a Mac to be used to charge an iPhone.

In addition to the iPhone, the company revealed its wireless earbuds, the AirPods Pro, with a USB-C charging case.

The change is a testament to how regulators are changing Apple's standards. business. Apple has positioned itself as the primary caretaker for the world's more than 1 billion iPhone users by creating proprietary hardware and services. To reach these customers, app developers gave the company up to a 30% cut of their sales, and accessory makers paid fees to make cords with Lightning ports.

But amid growing concerns about the power of tech companies over the global economy, governments have adopted rules and issued warnings that are forcing Apple to open up. In Europe, a new antitrust law will require Apple to allow iPhone apps to be sold outside of its App Store. In the United States, regulators are investigating the company's practice of preventing others from using the iPhone's pay-per-click capability. And in China, the government is cracking down on employees' use of iPhones at work.

Government challenges rock Apple just as it tries to revive his activity. . Falling iPad and Mac sales have triggered their most prolonged decline since 2016. iPhone purchases, which account for more than half of total revenue, are slowing. And the sale of apps and services could be curtailed by government regulations.

"Apple is a victim of its own success, and everyone is attacking the big technology targets," said Mike Frazier, president of Bedell Frazier Investment Counseling, an investment firm in Walnut Creek, Calif.

In addition to the USB-C port , Apple touted other improvements with the iPhone 15, including better cameras and smaller bezels around the screen. Its two high-end Pro models, which start at $999, feature lighter titanium bodies and processors made using an advanced manufacturing process that the company says significantly increases performance. It replaces the mute switch of previous models with a new button that can be pressed to use the phone's camera or start audio recording.

Top Phones range also have the ability to record videos in three dimensions, which can be viewed in the augmented reality headset that Apple will launch next year.

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