The European Commission has said that devices that only support wireless charging comply with new EU rules, paving the way for port-free smartphones like Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Air, 9to5Mac reports.
It was previously reported that the company considered releasing the iPhone 17 Air completely without ports, but decided to keep the USB-C port due to concerns about compliance with EU regulations.
According to European Commission representative Federica Miccoli, if a device does not support wired charging, it is not required to have a USB-C port. The main goal of the regulation is to eliminate incompatibility of wired charging standards. At the same time, the EU is also working on harmonizing wireless charging standards to avoid market fragmentation and reduce the negative impact on consumers and the environment.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to still feature a USB-C port, but future models like the iPhone 18 Air could go completely wireless, a move that could change the way smartphones are designed and impact charging technology.