UK reconsidering USB-C charger mandate, after everyone else has already shifted

AppleInsider

The new UK government is considering reversing its predecessor's refusal to adopt the EU USB-C charger mandate, while Apple holds its breath for the future of the iPhone.

A USB-C charging cable

Just over a year before the UK's long-standing Conservative government was voted out of office in mid-2024, it made one of its many anti-European Union moves. It declared that it would not copy the EU's USB-C common charger standard.

The official wording included the phrase "so there," but out of all such declarations, this was the smallest and also the easiest. It was small because the UK had other concerns, that's entirely why the government was trying to distract people by looking as if they were taking action on something.

And it was a particularly easy declaration because it did not and does not matter what Britain does about chargers. While all Big Tech firms do provide a UK-specific power adapter, none of them were ever going to produce a model without USB-C just because that government said they could.

Now the current Labour government of the UK has announced that it is reconsidering all of this, even though it is exactly as pointless as it ever was -- for exactly the same reasons. As first spotted by MacRumors, the government has issued a call for evidence over adopting a common charger.

"We are seeking views from manufacturers, importers, distributors, and trade associations as to whether it would be helpful to do so," says the new Open Call for Evidence, "and, if so, whether this should be based on USB-C -- as adopted by the EU."

The European Union has forced the adoption of USB-C as a common charger, with the disputable logic that it will save e-waste. The EU's law mandated that all new smartphones use USB-C by 2024, although Apple complied earlier than that with the iPhone 15 range.

As a result, Apple switched to USB-C charging for all of its iPhones, arguably sooner than it might have intended. But the switch has been made, it's been made worldwide, so every iPhone sold in Britain already uses USB-C chargers.

Consequently, the UK's new move really just means that manufacturers, distributors, consumers, and trade associations, are invited to shrug. Should this somehow rise to the top of Tim Cook's To Do list, he and anyone else passing, has until December 4, 2024 to respond.



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NYC362

Look, leaving the EU was really an insane move for the UK.  What is going to happen, is with standards like this, and probably many in other areas of life, the UK is going to adapt EU standards as their own.   It just makes sense. 

As far as Apple, with the exception of the mouse, keyboard, and trackpad, everything is already USB-C and those items will almost certainly switch over with the next MacBook/iMac product announcement as the EU deadline in the end of December. 

mike1

This is all well and good until something better is developed and all manufacturers are stuck using the old version because the EU mandated a specific connector. Can't wait until the rest of the world moves on to something better/faster/smaller/cheaper and the EU countries are stuck with this.

bloggerblog

mike1 said:

This is all well and good until something better is developed and all manufacturers are stuck using the old version because the EU mandated a specific connector. Can't wait until the rest of the world moves on to something better/faster/smaller/cheaper and the EU countries are stuck with this.

Exactly! USB-C was Apple's design solution for Intel which was slow to changing. But now that the EU has put a barrier to connector innovations, companies will be forced to focus on cordless everything which carries security concerns.

kherberos

mike1 said:

This is all well and good until something better is developed and all manufacturers are stuck using the old version because the EU mandated a specific connector. Can't wait until the rest of the world moves on to something better/faster/smaller/cheaper and the EU countries are stuck with this.

This is actually a very interesting comment and it touches on some philosophical and societal aspect for the world we want to live in. What you say is true, but even if "stuck" it will not be forever, only slower to change to something else. Maybe this could be seen as "Stability vs. Progress" .. on a planet with strained resources ... what do we want ? 

avon b7

mike1 said:

This is all well and good until something better is developed and all manufacturers are stuck using the old version because the EU mandated a specific connector. Can't wait until the rest of the world moves on to something better/faster/smaller/cheaper and the EU countries are stuck with this.

The EU requirement states that the door is not closed to future improvements and even mentions potential future variants in the text. 

The issue is preventing fragmentation and promoting harmonisation. 

kiltedgreen

mike1 said:

This is all well and good until something better is developed and all manufacturers are stuck using the old version because the EU mandated a specific connector. Can't wait until the rest of the world moves on to something better/faster/smaller/cheaper and the EU countries are stuck with this.

Same old knee jerk silliness.

As we’ve said in the computer business for years “The great thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from”. Why are manufacturers “stuck”? Would the EU never change and demand USB-C until the end of time, regardless?

It sounds as though you’d prefer a world of top tech connectors like Lightning, USB-C, USB-A, those tiny USB connectors and the other tiny USB connectors that aren’t quite the same size as the other tiny ones where the best tech is what you get until next year when someone decides the best tech is now something different! Personally, I’d prefer a single connector on my wall plug and the minimum number of cables that allows me to charge my iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, 3rd party hardware like keyboards and other rechargeable speakers, and the same kind of connectors for data.

Electronic waste has become one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world. With 62 million metric tons generated across the world in 2022, the volume of discarded electronic material has nearly doubled since 2010. Do you want to add to that, or reduce it?

wonkothesane

mike1 said:

This is all well and good until something better is developed and all manufacturers are stuck using the old version because the EU mandated a specific connector. Can't wait until the rest of the world moves on to something better/faster/smaller/cheaper and the EU countries are stuck with this.

IMO the issue here is that the EU is an Administration, Not a tech Company, and for sure Not an innovator. Specifying that industry should agree on a a standard is one. Actually specifying which technical solution is a totally different animal. Also you have to understand that this administration is consulted by lobbyists and selected technical experts (I know because I have been there). This does not even ensure the (currently) best technical solution, and never will.
Another consequence is stifling innovation, as the EU administration themselves will do lots of things, but for sure not innovate on that standard.
On the topic of “but they left room for changes” - sure. Have you ever witnessed how long it actually takes to adopt changes ion that administration? By the time they adopt a new standard the trench world is already beyond that, I would bet.

For me an example of FAFO. 

avon b7

wonkothesane said:

mike1 said:

This is all well and good until something better is developed and all manufacturers are stuck using the old version because the EU mandated a specific connector. Can't wait until the rest of the world moves on to something better/faster/smaller/cheaper and the EU countries are stuck with this.

IMO the issue here is that the EU is an Administration, Not a tech Company, and for sure Not an innovator. Specifying that industry should agree on a a standard is one. Actually specifying which technical solution is a totally different animal. Also you have to understand that this administration is consulted by lobbyists and selected technical experts (I know because I have been there). This does not even ensure the (currently) best technical solution, and never will.
Another consequence is stifling innovation, as the EU administration themselves will do lots of things, but for sure not innovate on that standard.
On the topic of “but they left room for changes” - sure. Have you ever witnessed how long it actually takes to adopt changes ion that administration? By the time they adopt a new standard the trench world is already beyond that, I would bet.

For me an example of FAFO. 

Part of the evaluation process included impact assessments by experts.

That was followed by consultation with key Industry players (including Apple). It also included feedback from end users. 


Right from the outset there was clarity and agreement on the fact there was no single solution that ticked all the boxes. 

There was a simple matrix with all the pros and cons neatly outlined. 

The goal was to reduce fragmentation and in doing so reduce e-waste. To move forward with a harmonised solution (across a huge swathe of consumer devices) that did not stifle the ability to move forward with improved solutions (some of which were actually included in the final text).

Wireless charging was not included as fragmentation is not currently an issue.