Portless Smartphone Skips EU's USB-C Charging Mandate

Tecno's Portless Smartphone Outsmarts EU's USB-C Charging Rules

A new smartphone unveiled in 2024 has no charging port at all—raising questions about the EU’s push for standardised connectors. The European Union had just introduced rules requiring USB-C on most devices to cut waste and simplify charging. Yet Tecno’s latest model, revealed at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, sidesteps the regulation entirely by ditching cables. The EU’s 2024 regulation aimed to reduce e-waste by making USB-C the universal charging standard for phones, tablets, and other gadgets. Each year, around 11,000 tons of discarded chargers end up in European landfills. The law was designed to cut down on this waste by limiting the number of different connectors in use.

Phone charging ports have evolved over time, shifting from Mini-USB to Micro-USB, then to proprietary options like Apple’s Lightning connector. The EU’s move sought to end this fragmentation by enforcing a single, common port. However, the regulation only covers devices that charge via a cable—leaving a loophole for alternatives. Tecno’s new smartphone exploits this gap. Instead of a USB-C port, it relies on a magnetic power bank that attaches to the back. At just 4.9 millimetres thick, the device avoids the need for a physical charging socket. While the EU’s rules push for fewer cables, the disappearance of ports altogether creates an unexpected twist.

The Tecno smartphone remains compliant with EU law because it doesn’t use a cable for charging. This approach highlights a paradox: as Brussels works to standardise connectors, some manufacturers are removing them entirely. The shift could change how future devices are designed—and how consumers power them.