Brazil joins fight to make USB-C standard on iPhone

AppleInsider

Brazil is now the third country to call for Apple to replace its Lightning connector with the USB-C standard, citing that the change could help reduce electronic waste.

In early June, the European Union put forth new rules that would require all smartphones to utilize the USB-C standard for charging.

Shortly after, U.S. senators called on the U.S. Commerce Department mandate a universal common charger standard.

Now, Brazil has also called for universal charging support. But, like the EU, they believe Apple should swap its proprietary Lightning connector for the more widely-adopted USB-C.

According to Technoblog, as spotted by 9to5Mac, Brazilian regulators are pushing for smartphone manufactures to standardize their charging ports.

Anatel, the Brazilian regulatory agency, states that standardization would allow for greater consumer convenience.

Additionally, it believes that the move could reduce electronic waste by allowing customers to reuse chargers they already have.

Anatel's proposal would require companies to switch to USB-C by July 1, 2024.

The proposal does, however, allow for companies to move away from charging cables entirely. Any device that can only be recharged wirelessly would not be required to implement a USB-C charging port.

The agency is allowing Brazilians and tech companies to share their opinions about the project until August 26, 2022.

Apple may already be working on a USB-C iPhone. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that the 2023 "iPhone 15" will abandon the Lightning connector and instead use USB-C.

Read on AppleInsider

mattinoz

Great can they take it one step further.

USBc-PD on all devices with a battery and no internal power supply. 
Or PoE for things designed to be fixed (IP Cameras, Wifi, etc...)

Anything that might need an external transformer should be one of those. 

genovelle

So making billions of phones cables obsolete over night reduces waste. This is a plot to make someone money. It otherwise makes no sense. will they decide the next cable standard? Remember much of what’s in usb-c is from Apple’s work with Intel on Thunderbolt. Are they planning to force companies to stop forcing chrome on users and use standards instead of Google technology on their websites? Are they going to force video format compatibility so YouTube isn’t required to send quality videos on Android?

amar99

So basically "You've reached the pinnacle of ports. Quit innovating or we'll shut you down!"

JFC_PA

My iPhone charger block for a few years now has been USB-C. 

It’s just the little bit of cable that’s C to Lightning. 

What are I or they not getting?

Oh and only wireless? For anyone traveling that immediate fifty percent hit in efficiency rather stinks. 

viclauyyc

Isn’t they are the same government that fine Apple for not including the charger that creates e-waste? 

rob53

I was looking through a Grizzly catalog the other day. They carry DeWalt, Milwaukee and Grizzly's own brand of battery operated tools. The batteries are all unique, not interchangeable. Why aren't countries investigating these companies? Shouldn't we have a standard battery that plugs into every tool? Of course not, because each company has a right to build a tool or product the way they want to do it. Same goes for Apple products. 

Hedware

Let’s hope Apple sees the writing on the wall and ditches Lightning connectors by the release of the next iPhone. 

avon b7

genovelle said:

So making billions of phones cables obsolete over night reduces waste. This is a plot to make someone money. It otherwise makes no sense. will they decide the next cable standard? Remember much of what’s in usb-c is from Apple’s work with Intel on Thunderbolt. Are they planning to force companies to stop forcing chrome on users and use standards instead of Google technology on their websites? Are they going to force video format compatibility so YouTube isn’t required to send quality videos on Android?

The cables won't become obsolete overnight. They will continue to be used and manufacturers will continue making them. At least until the market dries up. Don't expect a radical overnight shift in anything. 

However, as a result of the change, more devices will be interoperable in connection terms going forward, leading to less cables and less waste. 

avon b7

rob53 said:

I was looking through a Grizzly catalog the other day. They carry DeWalt, Milwaukee and Grizzly's own brand of battery operated tools. The batteries are all unique, not interchangeable. Why aren't countries investigating these companies? Shouldn't we have a standard battery that plugs into every tool? Of course not, because each company has a right to build a tool or product the way they want to do it. Same goes for Apple products. 

The EU is currently revising and drafting proposals for the updated batteries directive. Let's see what comes of that. 

entropys

Go portless Apple to stick it up the bureaucrats.

urahara

entropys said:

Go portless Apple to stick it up the bureaucrats.

Quit the Brazilian market Apple! /s

darkvader

rob53 said:

I was looking through a Grizzly catalog the other day. They carry DeWalt, Milwaukee and Grizzly's own brand of battery operated tools. The batteries are all unique, not interchangeable. Why aren't countries investigating these companies? Shouldn't we have a standard battery that plugs into every tool? Of course not, because each company has a right to build a tool or product the way they want to do it. Same goes for Apple products. 

I don't get it.  You see another MASSIVE problem (non-interchangeable batteries) and instead of advocating for a solution that will reduce waste and frustration (a mandated battery standard) you somehow convince yourself the current situation is just fine because Apple has a nonstandard port and you want to believe Apple is always right.

Yes, we absolutely should have standard batteries.  Yes, countries absolutely should be investigating tool companies.  That there aren't battery standards isn't some imaginary "right" of corporations, it's failure of governments to do their job.

vztrv1

genovelle said:

So making billions of phones cables obsolete over night reduces waste. This is a plot to make someone money. It otherwise makes no sense. will they decide the next cable standard? Remember much of what’s in usb-c is from Apple’s work with Intel on Thunderbolt. Are they planning to force companies to stop forcing chrome on users and use standards instead of Google technology on their websites? Are they going to force video format compatibility so YouTube isn’t required to send quality videos on Android?

In my case yes - if the iphone was USB C I could use the same cables for both the iPad Pro and the phone.

mike1

vztrv1 said:

genovelle said:

So making billions of phones cables obsolete over night reduces waste. This is a plot to make someone money. It otherwise makes no sense. will they decide the next cable standard? Remember much of what’s in usb-c is from Apple’s work with Intel on Thunderbolt. Are they planning to force companies to stop forcing chrome on users and use standards instead of Google technology on their websites? Are they going to force video format compatibility so YouTube isn’t required to send quality videos on Android?

In my case yes - if the iphone was USB C I could use the same cables for both the iPad Pro and the phone.

But what happens in 2 or 5 years when USB C is technically obsolete, but they are mandatory? Governmental bodies are going to christen the next standard for everyone?! Both here and in the EU, the whole idea is complete and utter BS!

avon b7

mike1 said:

vztrv1 said:

genovelle said:

So making billions of phones cables obsolete over night reduces waste. This is a plot to make someone money. It otherwise makes no sense. will they decide the next cable standard? Remember much of what’s in usb-c is from Apple’s work with Intel on Thunderbolt. Are they planning to force companies to stop forcing chrome on users and use standards instead of Google technology on their websites? Are they going to force video format compatibility so YouTube isn’t required to send quality videos on Android?

In my case yes - if the iphone was USB C I could use the same cables for both the iPad Pro and the phone.

But what happens in 2 or 5 years when USB C is technically obsolete, but they are mandatory? Governmental bodies are going to christen the next standard for everyone?! Both here and in the EU, the whole idea is complete and utter BS!

The EU impact assessment specifically tackled that issue. 

One of the goals was not to stifle innovation.

In fact it has been mentioned in various announcements by the EU and the proposals were accommodating to new standards from the outset but in a harmonised manner. 

DAalseth

Bandwagon much?

Beats

Slowly cook the frog. Then you can demand they use Brazilian made displays and then demand back doors into iOS. Then EU can demand Apple use some crappy EU standard wireless tech.

avon b7 said:

mike1 said:

vztrv1 said:

genovelle said:

So making billions of phones cables obsolete over night reduces waste. This is a plot to make someone money. It otherwise makes no sense. will they decide the next cable standard? Remember much of what’s in usb-c is from Apple’s work with Intel on Thunderbolt. Are they planning to force companies to stop forcing chrome on users and use standards instead of Google technology on their websites? Are they going to force video format compatibility so YouTube isn’t required to send quality videos on Android?

In my case yes - if the iphone was USB C I could use the same cables for both the iPad Pro and the phone.

But what happens in 2 or 5 years when USB C is technically obsolete, but they are mandatory? Governmental bodies are going to christen the next standard for everyone?! Both here and in the EU, the whole idea is complete and utter BS!

The EU impact assessment specifically tackled that issue. 

One of the goals was not to stifle innovation.

In fact it has been mentioned in various announcements by the EU and the proposals were accommodating to new standards from the outset but in a harmonised manner. 

Demanding the inventor of the iPhone use specific tech is stifling innovation. And the poster is right, if Apple were to invent a wireless standard what’s stopping these non-techies to force Apple to use something else because the iPhoneys aren’t compatible?

I don’t understand how some people don’t see the problem with governments controlling technology. The same governments that don’t understand technology.

avon b7

Beats said:

Slowly cook the frog. Then you can demand they use Brazilian made displays and then demand back doors into iOS. Then EU can demand Apple use some crappy EU standard wireless tech.

avon b7 said:

mike1 said:

vztrv1 said:

genovelle said:

So making billions of phones cables obsolete over night reduces waste. This is a plot to make someone money. It otherwise makes no sense. will they decide the next cable standard? Remember much of what’s in usb-c is from Apple’s work with Intel on Thunderbolt. Are they planning to force companies to stop forcing chrome on users and use standards instead of Google technology on their websites? Are they going to force video format compatibility so YouTube isn’t required to send quality videos on Android?

In my case yes - if the iphone was USB C I could use the same cables for both the iPad Pro and the phone.

But what happens in 2 or 5 years when USB C is technically obsolete, but they are mandatory? Governmental bodies are going to christen the next standard for everyone?! Both here and in the EU, the whole idea is complete and utter BS!

The EU impact assessment specifically tackled that issue. 

One of the goals was not to stifle innovation.

In fact it has been mentioned in various announcements by the EU and the proposals were accommodating to new standards from the outset but in a harmonised manner. 

Demanding the inventor of the iPhone use specific tech is stifling innovation. And the poster is right, if Apple were to invent a wireless standard what’s stopping these non-techies to force Apple to use something else because the iPhoneys aren’t compatible?

I don’t understand how some people don’t see the problem with governments controlling technology. The same governments that don’t understand technology.

It's ironic that you put Apple, charging and innovation into the same sentence. 

Anyone can innovate but if everyone innovates in ways that impede interoperability it leads to new problems so it's better to harmonise certain technologies.

The 'inventor' of the iPhone has to comply with literally heaps of regulations on specific technologies. All over the phone! 

dewme

I'm curious, what percentage of e-waste is attributable to charging bricks, cables, etc? I'm very diligent about recycling and made a run to the county e-waste recycling drop-off last week to turn in a dead av receiver, laptop battery packs, and a plasma TV. Saw many crates of flat panel TVs, old laptops, etc., waiting to get shipped out, probably in a shipping container to someplace in Asia. Did not see a lot of charging bricks, but I'm sure they were in there somewhere. How many and what percentage of these containers are power bricks and cables?

DAalseth

dewme said:

I'm curious, what percentage of e-waste is attributable to charging bricks, cables, etc? I'm very diligent about recycling and made a run to the county e-waste recycling drop-off last week to turn in a dead av receiver, laptop battery packs, and a plasma TV. Saw many crates of flat panel TVs, old laptops, etc., waiting to get shipped out, probably in a shipping container to someplace in Asia. Did not see a lot of charging bricks, but I'm sure they were in there somewhere. How many and what percentage of these containers are power bricks and cables?

I fear this is just a talisman to deflect attention from the big problems. Like you said old, unrepairable, laptops, flat panel TVs that give up the ghost in three or four years, etc. No attention to that, or as another poster pointed out the literally dozens of brands of power tools with unique batteries and chargers, many brands having a couple of designs that are not compatible with each other. But hey let’s point fingers at Apple because they are the biggest target. Not going to mention the Android brands that do use USB-C but the whole device craps out and gets thrown away in a couple of years.

Surely Apple’s little white chargers are the cause of everything. /s

Reminds me of the people who think that they will solve climate change by not using loop handle bags for their groceries. There’s bigger issues they are ignoring.