Thanks to the EU, Apple will soon ditch its Lightning cable and allow third-party apps on the iPhone. This illustrates exactly why governments need to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to big tech companies.

This week, Native Union announced its Belt Cable Duo, a hammerhead cable that can charge almost any device. The absurdity is that a simple USB-C cable can do the same thing for all your devices except your iPhone and maybe an older iPad. It’s a fine example of what happens when “innovation” is allowed to run wild unhindered by the consumer protections afforded by law.

“Big tech companies often have a lot of power and influence, and it's important for governments to ensure they act in the best interests of consumers and society as a whole,” Brandon Mackie, a social website manager and startup founder, told Lifewire via email.

"The EU has been able to take a more assertive approach to regulating big tech companies, such as Microsoft in the 1990s and Apple more recently, because of its strong antitrust laws and regulatory authorities. In contrast, the US government has historically been more reluctant to regulate big tech companies, leading to criticism from some quarters."