Apple urges for iPhone exemption from India's single-charger rules

Apple has urged the Indian IT ministry to make changes to its single charger rules, as adding USB-C to older iPhone models will make it hard for Apple to meet production targets for India's manufacturing and export laws.

Following after the European Union's introduction of regulations that will force electronics producers to use USB-C as part of a common charger directive, India followed suit with its own variation of the mandate. However, Apple is one of the few companies pushing back on its implementation.

Apple met with India's IT ministry in a closed-door meeting on November 28, reports Reuters, asking officials to add exemptions to the rules for some older models of iPhone.

While the EU's rules effectively apply only against newly designed and released products after the rules come into force in 2024, India's version does not. Instead, it applies to all electronic devices sold in the country, which also includes hardware that wasn't previously designed with USB-C.

To Apple, this wrinkle means it would have to incorporate USB-C into the designs of older Lightning-equipped iPhone models to continue selling them in India.

Apple told the regulators that implementing the changes would mean it won't be able to "meet the PLI targets," minutes from the meeting state. PLI, India's Production-Linked Incentive scheme, is a major project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, providing manufacturers with financial incentives for investments and incremental annual phone sales.

The use of USB-C in the iPhone 15 means Apple meets the criteria for the rules with its current-gen hardware. However, the bulk of its sales in India are based around older iPhone generations.

Apple says it can comply with a timeline for compliance by June 2025 if existing models are exempted from the rules. Otherwise, it would need another 18 months beyond 2024 if there isn't an exemption.

25 Comments

wood1208 2935 comments · 10 Years

About 11 months ago

Add USB-C to lightening dongle to package as work around. In 2-3 years, iPhone 15 will be old enough to meet built-in usb-c requirement.

darkvader 1146 comments · 15 Years

It's already been shown that USB C will work in the older iPhones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yudWXta6dM

Apple should get their act together.

avon b7 8020 comments · 20 Years

I am critical of the US for weaponising technology 'after the fact' for companies that are not US companies.

The same reasoning applies here. If the product is already approved, manufactured and available in the market, I think it's unreasonable to make Apple retrofit USB-C to the design.

However, laws are there to be complied with so imagine this particular change can be made with less impact for Apple than it would have us believe.

I hope Apple is able to persuade the government here (and that any concessions are made available to other manufacturers in a similar position).

chelgrian 42 comments · 15 Years

darkvader said:

It's already been shown that USB C will work in the older iPhones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yudWXta6dM

Apple should get their act together.

The cost of retooling an old design for any variation is so great that it is not economically viable. Apple would just discontinue all lightning models when the mandate came in to force and only sell the iPhone 15. It would remain that way for a few years until a USB-C based shell gets in to a lower cost iPhone. The most likely thing being a retool of an existing design for a iPhone SE 4

auxio 2763 comments · 19 Years

darkvader said:

It's already been shown that USB C will work in the older iPhones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yudWXta6dM

Apple should get their act together.

Unbelievable. If they care so much about it, why didn't governments step in when there were a ridiculous number of different USB-A/B connectors for different devices (which are now clogging landfills)?

That's the very reason why Apple chose to go with Lightning instead of USB in the first place. And boy did people complain about the switch from Dock to Lighting at the time! Now suddenly everyone is fine with buying all new USB-C accessories because Android users and governments are cheerleading USB-C. Gimme a break!