Elon Musk courts EU as telcos challenge Starlink, praises Apple USB-C rule

Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk, who usually clashes with government regulators, has openly praised the European Union (EU) for a major tech rule. The rule in question forced Apple to finally ditch its proprietary Lightning port in favour of the universal USB-C charging standard.Musk took to his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share his thoughts. "Have to give the EU regulators credit where it's due for making all Apple products use USB-C," he posted.This rare moment of agreement highlights just how big of an impact the EU's common-charger rule has had on the global tech industry. Because of this pressure, Apple had to transition its entire iPhone lineup to USB-C, starting with the iPhone 15 series back in late 2023.Why the EU forced the USB-C ruleThe European Union officially made its universal charger law strict on December 28, 2024. The law made it compulsory for all new smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, and portable speakers sold in Europe to have a standard USB-C port. According to data from the European Commission, unused and thrown-away chargers create a massive 11,000 tonnes of electronic waste (e-waste) every single year. By forcing companies to use one common charger, the EU estimates that buyers will save around €250 million annually because they won't have to buy new chargers for every device.The deadline was so strict that Apple actually had to stop selling older models, like the iPhone 14 and iPhone SE, in Europe because they still used the outdated Lightning port. Earlier this year, in April 2026, this rule was expanded even further to include all laptops as well.Europe’s fight against Starlink Interestingly, while Musk is praising the EU for its charging rules, Europe is actively trying to reduce its dependence on his satellite internet company, Starlink.Right around the time Musk was praising the EU, a group of four major European telecom companies announced that they are joining hands. They want to create their own satellite-to-phone network and reduce its dependence on foreign companies.The telecom operators released a joint statement saying that this new project will help Europe become more secure and independent when it comes to internet connectivity. Right now, Musk's Starlink completely dominates the space internet market.It operates a massive network of over 11,000 satellites orbiting the Earth, and European leaders are racing to ensure they aren't completely reliant on a single American billionaire for their critical communication networks.- Ends