Apple Pulls iPhone 14, iPhone SE (2022) From Online Stores in EU as USB Type-C Mandate Comes Into Effect

Apple's iPhone 14 and older models still feature its proprietary lightning port.

Written by Shaurya Tomer, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 30 December 2024 12:17 IST

Apple Pulls iPhone 14, iPhone SE (2022) From Online Stores in EU as USB Type-C Mandate Comes Into Effect

Apple is expected to launch the successor to the iPhone SE (2022) next year with a USB Type-C port

Highlights

EU mandates USB-C chargers for all portable devices by December 2024
Apple stops selling iPhone 14 and iPhone SE (2022) in compliance
The mandate is to reduce e-waste and help users make sustainable choices

Apple has stopped selling iPhone 14 and the iPhone SE (2022) on its online stores in the European Union (EU). The Cupertino-based technology giant's decision to discontinue older iPhone models is in compliance with the mandate issued by the European Parliament that was issued in October, 2022 and came into effect on December 28, 2024. It requires all small and medium-sized portable electronic devices sold in the EU bloc to have a common charging port — USB Type-C.

While Apple's newer models such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 come equipped with the aforementioned port, several of its older devices, which are being discontinued in the EU, still feature the company's proprietary lightning port. However, the EU's mandate means even older devices must be sold with a USB Type-C charger, due to which the technology giant is pulling iPhone 14 and iPhone SE (2022) from its online stores.

Gadgets 360 can confirm that Apple's decision has already come into effect. Apple stores in regions part of the EU such as Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland, only list iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 models as the ones on sale.

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The discontinued models are also speculated to be soon removed from the company's offline stores too.

However, this does not apply to the UK which left the EU in 2020 in a move famously known as ‘Brexit'. Apple's UK online store still officially sells the iPhone 14 and iPhone SE (2022). Meanwhile, the company is expected to launch the successor to the latter early next year and it is speculated to be equipped with a USB Type-C port, in compliance with the European Parliament.

In addition to making USB Type-C the charging standard on small and medium-sized portable electronics, it is also confirmed to come into effect for laptops starting April 28, 2026. Further, the EU's USB Type-C mandate also allows consumers to opt out of receiving a charger when buying new devices. This is said to be in a bid to reduce the e-waste generated by different chargers for multiple devices, enable consumers to make sustainable choices and solve the issue of market fragmentation.

iPhone 16

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A18

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1179x2556 pixels

iPhone 15

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Big upgrades over the 14
Excellent ergonomics, build quality
Very good all-round performance
Apple ecosystem benefits

Bad
Relatively slow charging
Expensive
Still a 60Hz display

Read detailed Apple iPhone 15 review

Apple iPhone SE (2022)

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Powerful SoC
IP67 rating, wireless charging
Slim and light
Regular software updates

Bad
Small, low-res display
Gets warm when stressed
Average low-light camera performance
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone SE (2022) review

iPhone 14

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Good overall performance
Great camera quality in daylight
iOS ecosystem and ease of use

Bad
Dated design and notch
Very similar to iPhone 13
Relatively slow charging
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone 14 review

Comments

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Further reading: Apple, iPhone 14, iPhone SE 2022, EU, USB Type C

Shaurya Tomer

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Shaurya Tomer is a Sub Editor at Gadgets 360 with 2 years of experience across a diverse spectrum of topics. With a particular focus on smartphones, gadgets and the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence... more »