Apple ends the iPhone 14 and iPhone SE for 29 countries and millions of consumers.

The iPhone SE 3rd generation, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 14 are the three models that Apple now sells using a Lightning connector.

29 countries, including one in the United Kingdom, have just removed all three from sale. Will this impact extend to other nations?

The crux of the matter is an EU directive that takes effect today, Saturday, December 28, 2024. The EU mandated that manufacturers make sure that gadgets like cameras, phones, and tablets all utilize the same charging port (and hence cable): USB-C to reduce electronic waste.

Apple objected to this action, claiming that it might hinder innovation.

Nevertheless, the modification was successful, and starting with the iPhone 15, Apple switched its iPhones to USB-C. For example, all ports on the iPad, AirPods, Magic Mouse, and Magic Keyboard are now USB-C exclusively.

As a result, the three iPhone models mentioned above that featured Lightning at their core have to be discontinued by December 28 to comply.

Customers who visited Apple websites in all 27 EU nations on Friday, December 27, discovered that the only iPhone models now for sale were the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, iPhone 16, 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

So, if you live in the EU, it is too late to get one of these phones? Not exactly. The remaining inventory may be sold by third-party resellers; for example, the iPhone 14 is currently available for purchase in Spain on Amazon.

The prohibition also extends further. The prohibition also holds in Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU but supports it in many ways. Furthermore, Northern Ireland has distinct commercial regulations designed to guarantee that there is no border between the British region in the north and the Republic of Ireland, even if the United Kingdom exited the European Union in 2020. Therefore, the impacted phones are no longer available for purchase in Belfast.

There is some irony in this situation because, incidentally, the Republic does not have an official Apple Store.

Given that a new model is anticipated in the spring of 2025, sales of the iPhone SE may be declining, but this is still not ideal.

What effects are there outside of Europe? Although the impacts will be negligible in practice, other nations will have been watching with curiosity. The legislation would probably not go into effect before the iPhone 14 is decommissioned globally, which is anticipated to happen this fall, even if it were introduced swiftly.