Apple begins to withdraw the iPhone SE, 14, and 14 Plus from the EU.
The deadline set by the European Union to adopt the USB-C connector is December 28.
Starting December 28, all new phones sold in the European Union must come with a USB-C port. Although this date is still a week away, Apple has begun to remove the iPhone SE, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Plus models, which are the last to use the company’s proprietary Lightning port, from its online store in Switzerland. This removal was first reported by a specialized media outlet, based on a report from a French publication.
Since then, it has been confirmed that in the Apple online store in Switzerland, any configuration of the mentioned models appears as "currently unavailable" when trying to add them to the shopping cart. However, in other Apple online stores in EU countries, such as France and Spain, these phones are still available for purchase. The Swiss store indicates that the iPhone 14 is not available.
With the impending December 28 deadline, it is likely that the other Apple stores in the EU will follow suit. However, it is unclear why Apple decided to remove these models from Switzerland a week earlier than planned, or if similar actions will be taken in other countries. Additionally, this switch to USB-C is also the reason Apple adopted this type of connector in the iPhone 15 launched in 2023. As for the iPhone SE, rumors suggest that a fourth-generation model with USB-C and enhancements such as an OLED display could be released in early 2025.
