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The EU forces manufacturers to have the same charger for all phones

Manufacturers will be forced to create a universal charging solution for phones and small electronic devices, under a new rule proposed by the European Commission.

The aim is to reduce waste by encouraging consumers to reuse existing chargers when purchasing a new device.

All smartphones sold in the EU must have USB-C chargers, the proposal says.

Apple has warned that doing so would hurt innovation.

The tech giant is the leading smartphone manufacturer to use a custom charging port, as its iPhone series uses an Apple-made lightning connection.

"We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating only one type of charger stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world," the company said.

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The company added that it aims to make every Apple device and carbon neutral by 2030.

Most Android phones come with USB micro-B charging ports, or have already moved to the more modern USB-C standard.