The idea of a portless iPhone has been a topic of discussion in the tech world for quite some time. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple initially planned to launch the iPhone 17 Air with only wireless charging support, removing the charging port entirely. However, fearing European Union regulations requiring USB-C, the company decided to retain the USB-C port for now.
But recent official statements confirm that there is no regulatory obstacle preventing Apple from introducing a portless iPhone in the future. Federica Miccoli, a spokesperson for the European Commission, has stated that a smartphone with no physical charging port and only wireless charging is fully compliant with EU regulations.
EU Confirms Wireless-Only Charging is Allowed
The European Union’s USB-C law only applies to devices that support wired charging. In other words, if a device can only be charged wirelessly, it is not required to have a USB-C port.
The main goal of this regulation is to eliminate incompatible charging standards and ensure that consumers have a unified and consistent charging experience. However, if a device relies solely on wireless charging, it is exempt from this requirement.
Additionally, the EU aims to standardize wireless charging as well. The European Commission plans to monitor the development of wireless charging technologies and address potential fragmentation, market penetration, technological efficiency, and interoperability.
The Future of Wireless Charging: Apple’s MagSafe and Qi2 Standards
While the EU pushes for wireless charging standardization, Apple has taken a major step by making its MagSafe technology open-source. The company contributed the MagSafe standard to the Wireless Power Consortium, leading to the introduction of the Qi2 wireless charging standard.
Qi2 features a similar magnetic alignment system to MagSafe, but the use of magnets is now optional. This development allows different manufacturers to create more universally compatible wireless charging solutions.
With Apple investing heavily in wireless charging technology and open standards, the transition to a fully portless iPhone seems more inevitable than ever.
Not iPhone 17 Air, But Definitely in the Future
The European Commission’s statement makes it clear that Apple has no legal barriers to releasing a fully portless iPhone. However, the iPhone 17 Air is unlikely to introduce this change. Instead, Apple is expected to further develop its wireless charging ecosystem before launching a device without any ports.
For now, USB-C will remain on iPhones, but Apple’s ultimate vision is to offer a completely wireless experience. In the near future, charging cables and ports may become a thing of the past.