If regulation is the case, then they could have waited until iPhone 17 and implemented as nothing more than a port change. That's not what's happened though -

If regulation is the case, then they could have waited until iPhone 17 and implemented as nothing more than a port change. That's not what's happened though - the USB3.0 controller is part of the A17Pro chip. It's trivially debunked that this change is in response to EU enforcement merely by observing the timeline of EU legislation and elementary understanding of chip design and lead time/mass production. This isn't suggesting that they didn't see the writing on the wall, but it's patently evident that the decision was made even before the EU considered making type C the mandatory connection standard. As I said already, it's just as likely this is part of their phased transition into the type C connector. Also these MFi arguments for lightning are nonsense, not only are the fees minimal, but they persist with type C. The EU forcing Apple to switch to the type C connector is largely a HN fantasy. It was happening regardless.