A recent report from France has revealed that Apple will cease sales of the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone SE models in the European Union. The affected devices will be removed from both Apple’s online and offline stores by December 28, with Apple Authorized Retailers in the EU allowed to continue selling the remaining inventory until it is exhausted.
This move is in response to a new EU regulation that mandates all newly sold smartphones with wired charging to adopt USB-C ports. The iPhone 14 series and iPhone SE are the last models still available in the EU that utilize the Lightning port, which is incompatible with the new regulation. As a result, Apple is required to phase out these devices to comply with the updated standards.
In addition to the iPhones, Apple will also halt the sale of other products featuring the Lightning port, such as the Magic Keyboard without Touch ID. Notably, this change will extend to Northern Ireland, despite the United Kingdom having left the EU in 2020, due to Northern Ireland’s adherence to EU regulations as part of the Brexit agreement.
The same regulation will affect Switzerland, where the iPhones and other Lightning-equipped products will be removed from sale by December 20, even earlier than in the EU. This decision comes after internal communications from Apple, which have been reported to detail these changes.
Typically, Apple would have phased out the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus models next September, as part of its usual product refresh cycle. However, the new regulation has expedited the process. As for the iPhone SE, while its discontinuation is noteworthy, it is expected to be replaced by a new model in the coming year, so its removal is not anticipated to be a significant loss for Apple or its customers.