EU Approves Portless iPhone, Clearing the Way for Apple’s Wireless Future

The European Union has officially granted Apple permission to release iPhones without physical ports, despite existing regulations requiring USB Type-C in smartphones.

Apple had initially hesitated to launch the iPhone 17 Air without a charging port due to potential regulatory pushback. However, the EU has now clarified that it will not oppose the move.

While Apple transitioned its Mac, iPad, and iPhone lineup to USB-C following the Lightning ban, it can now eliminate ports entirely. The approval hinges on an EU regulation that mandates USB-C charging only if a device includes wired charging, leaving room for a fully wireless iPhone.

Apple is positioning the iPhone 17 Air as its thinnest smartphone ever, and removing physical ports could be a key step in achieving that design. A complete shift to wireless charging and data transfer may be just around the corner.