EU pressing on with USB-C charger legislation on Thursday
The European Commission will soon present a legislative proposal that could institute a common charger for mobile devices in the EU, possibly forcing Apple to ditch Lightning for USB-C.
Credit: AppleInsider
European officials have been pushing for a common charging standard for some time, despite protests from Apple and others in the technology industry.
According to Reuters, the introduction of a legislative proposal implementing a common charging standard in Europe could come as soon as Thursday, Sept. 23.
In addition to a proposed harmonized charging port, the European Commission reportedly also wants the sales of charging hardware to be decoupled from devices.
EU lawmakers claim that a common charger would be more convenient for consumers and would be more environmentally friendly. Apple has argued against mandated charging standards, claiming that they would dampen innovation, annoy consumers, and create unnecessary electronic waste.
It isn't clear what type of port the EU would mandate, but it would likely be USB-C. In 2018, half the chargers sold with mobile phones have a USB micro connector, while 29% had USB-C with an increase since. At the time, 21% had Apple's proprietary Lightning format but this has also increased with time.
Although Apple does have USB-C ports on some hardware, Lightning is standard on its iPhone devices. While some rumors have pointed toward a USB-C iPhone being likely in the future, other reports suggest that Apple isn't adopting USB-C anytime soon, and may instead opt for an entirely port-less iPhone.
Read on AppleInsider
Credit: AppleInsider
European officials have been pushing for a common charging standard for some time, despite protests from Apple and others in the technology industry.
According to Reuters, the introduction of a legislative proposal implementing a common charging standard in Europe could come as soon as Thursday, Sept. 23.
In addition to a proposed harmonized charging port, the European Commission reportedly also wants the sales of charging hardware to be decoupled from devices.
EU lawmakers claim that a common charger would be more convenient for consumers and would be more environmentally friendly. Apple has argued against mandated charging standards, claiming that they would dampen innovation, annoy consumers, and create unnecessary electronic waste.
It isn't clear what type of port the EU would mandate, but it would likely be USB-C. In 2018, half the chargers sold with mobile phones have a USB micro connector, while 29% had USB-C with an increase since. At the time, 21% had Apple's proprietary Lightning format but this has also increased with time.
Although Apple does have USB-C ports on some hardware, Lightning is standard on its iPhone devices. While some rumors have pointed toward a USB-C iPhone being likely in the future, other reports suggest that Apple isn't adopting USB-C anytime soon, and may instead opt for an entirely port-less iPhone.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
Because the United States' refusal to this day to adopt the metric system (only on the surface — any industry in a globalised world cannot afford NOT to be metric) is so utterly ridiculous and total luddite buffoonery that it demolishes whatever argument you might be trying to make.
Worst Case: They go with some weird local plug standard that is only made and used in Slovakia or some such place and the rest of the world is completely f-ed.
Let’s see what they do.
" also wants the sales of charging hardware to be decoupled from devices." Done!
EU requires charge to be common, not particular shape or colour.
From WIkipedia: "In 2015, the seven-person board of directors, led by USB-IF President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Ravencraft, consisted of representatives of Apple, HP Inc., Intel Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Renesas Electronics, STMicroelectronics, and Texas Instruments."
But yes, I wouldn't be surprised if the EU mandated a USB-C charging port on all mobile phones, meaning Apple couldn't have a portless iPhone in the EU.
congress stated in ‘66 that the country should proceed moving to metric as quickly as possible in order to enhance industry as well as scientific progress. That statement, by the way, was made in 1866, not 1966.
having said that, the British, now that Brexit is there have stated that they’re going back to imperial, which really, is completely stup if they really do it, if even in a limited way.
so the socket on the phone matters? It doesn’t. Apple supplies a lightning to USB C cable, and that all they should have to do. As with rechargers, it’s inane. So the EU believes that since we all have old chargers, we don’t need new ones, and so the old ones will be thrown away. This way, we’ll have to use the old ones so that we don’t have to pay for new ones. How dumb is that? Anybody here have a charger from an old phone, iPhone, Samsung phone or any other that is 5 watts? How many of you will want to use that with your new phone with a much bigger battery and faster charging time?
A couple of more minor drawbacks of USB-C itself:
Major advantages though:
- Potential for faster charging as USB-C is 65w+
- USB 3.2, which is why the iPad Pro/mini has USB-C. Right now, iPhones and the iPad 9 are limited to USB 2.0 speeds. Pretty abysmal 20MB/sec.
- One cable with identical ends to rule them all (sort of, see above)
- Any charger will charge any phone
- Everyone will have a USB-C cable in a pinch, whereas only some people will have lightning
- Easier for device manufacturers to waterproof (as no moving parts in the device port, unlike lightning)
Apple probably doesn't want to switch because of licensing on Made for iPhone cables and accessories. Instead of being hardware incompatibilities, Apple will have to force software incompatibilities with USB-C Android accessories. And those incompatibilities will eventually be cracked by various Chinese accessory makers.BTW. Making usb-c port not compatible with android/macbook/ipad pro/pc accessories will be own goal and heavily criticised dick move by everyone.
Well, they are all hypocrites - Apple, Samsung and EU bureaucrats. In theory they do this for environment, in practice its only for show. What about trees that will need to be cut to make charger boxes? All they need to do is let us decide if we want new charger or not.
I have thrown away more chargers, not because they can no longer be use to charge newer devices, but because the cable or connector became damaged from just wear and tear or cats and puppies, chewing on them. And the cable can not be replaced and are difficult to repair.
On the other hand, I still have over a hand full of over 15 year old Apple chargers, with USB ports on them, that came with all the various iPods I've own and many I still have. These iPods came with a USB to 30pin cable, that plugged into the USB port on the charger. (I still have a couple with a Firewire port, that came with the early iPods that uses Firewire. ) The charger brick themselves very rarely fails. I still use these to power up and charge other newer devices, using the right adapter cable. No need to ever throw them away. (Though they might now be underpowered for many newer devices.) Plus without a permanently attached cable, they are very easy to store away. The only thing that gets thrown away, are the damaged cables.