iPhone USB-C problem in India: EU-type law coming, Apple may get hit by triple whammy

Many countries around the world have been considering mandating the USB-C charging port for all devices to reduce e-waste. First, the European Union took the step and introduced the USB-C charging port regulation. It forced Apple to introduce the same in its iPhone 15 lineup, discarding the old Lighting port. Now, India is aiming to bring the same law in which the country is asking smartphone manufacturers to adopt the new standard charging port. The decision may cause huge problems for Apple in various ways. Know what the iPhone USB-C problem in India is all about and what Apple wants from the Indian government.

USB-C charging port law in India

According to the 9To5Mac report, the major hit for Apple would be the sales of older iPhones in the country. The first reason is that these are built with Lighting port chargers. Therefore, Apple may have to stop the manufacturing and sales of older iPhones due to the upcoming law. In India, Apple customers are mostly reliant on purchasing the older models of the iPhones which are being manufactured in India.

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Secondly, due to India’s production-linked incentives (PLI), the iPhone manufacturer has specific manufacturing volume targets to meet to take advantage of the taxes and it also lays penalties when the target is not met which is set by the Indian government. Therefore, if the law is enforced in the country, Apple will not be able to meet the target, resulting in higher manufacturing costs for iPhones.

And thirdly, after the manufacturing fiasco during the Covid years, Apple is looking to expand to other countries like India in order to ensure the same never happens again. However, this goal would be thwarted too.

What Apple Wants

According to a Reuters report, Apple is demanding an exemption for some of their older iPhone models from the Indian government. It is also asking for a delay in law enforcement so it could meet the manufacturing target for the Indian customers. "If the regulation is implemented on earlier models of mobile phones, they (Apple) will not be able to meet the PLI targets," Apple said in a meeting with Indian regulators.

As of now, it is reported that India will enforce the USB-C charging port law for all devices and not only the upcoming devices. It is planned that the law will come into force by June 2025. It is said that the Indian IT ministry has taken the problem into consideration and it will take a decision later.

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