Apple bows to EU, unveils iPhone with USB-C charger

CUPERTINO

Apple has unveiled its new iPhone lineup, with its Lightning charger ports replaced on the newest models by a universal charger after a tussle with the European Union.

The bloc is insisting that all phones and other small devices must be compatible with the USB-C charging cables from the end of next year, a move it says will reduce waste and save money for consumers.

"USB-C has become a universally accepted standard. So we're bringing USB-C to iPhone 15," said Kaiann Drance, Apple's vice president of iPhone marketing at a launch event.

The release comes as Apple faces declining sales of iPhones, with higher prices pushing customers to delay switching to newer models.

As has been case with Apple and other smartphone makers, the four types of iPhone 15 models aren't making any major leaps in technology.

But Apple added enough new bells and whistles to the top-of-the line model — the iPhone 15 Pro Max — to boost its starting price by $100, or 9 percent, from last year's version to $1,200.

Apple is holding the line on prices for rest of the lineup, with the basic iPhone 15 selling for $800, the iPhone 15 Plus for $900 and the iPhone 15 Pro for $1,000.

All the new models will be available in stores Sept. 22, with preorders beginning tomorrow.

Investors apparently weren't impressed with what Apple rolled out. The company's shares fell nearly 2 percent on Sept. 12, a steeper decline than the major market indexes.

In the recently ended quarter, Apple suffered a 2.4 percent drop in iPhone sales, which account for nearly half of total revenues.

No iPhone ban: China

Meanwhile, China yesterday denied there was any ban on officials purchasing or using foreign phones, including iPhones, after reports said Beijing was prohibiting civil servants from using Apple handsets.

"China has not issued any laws, regulations, and policy documents prohibiting the purchase and use of foreign brand smartphones, including iPhone," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular briefing.

Apple shares fell sharply last week following reports of significant Chinese restrictions on iPhones at government offices and state-backed entities.

But French regulators on Sept. 12 ordered Apple to halt sales of the iPhone 12 for emitting too much electromagnetic radiation, and to fix existing handsets.

The French agency that regulates radio frequencies, the ANFR, said it "ordered Apple to remove the iPhone 12 from the French market from September 12 due to the model exceeding the limit" for electromagnetic absorption by the body.