Slow progress on common smartphone charger initiative may get extra EU push
The European Commission is examining if it should push smartphone producers like Apple to collaborate on a single mobile phone charger that would work with all smartphones, due to an apparent lack of progress by vendors in moving towards creating a common charger.
A proposal first suggested a decade ago, the European Commission wants mobile device producers to use a single charger, one that would work regardless of the device connected to it. Up until now, it has been voluntary for companies to work on the problem, but Reuters reports EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager is keen for progress to be made on the scheme.
"Given the unsatisfactory progress with this voluntary approach, the Commission will shortly launch an impact assessment study to evaluate costs and benefits of different other options," according to a response from Vestager to an EU lawmaker on August 1.
The Commission did get a collection of device vendors, including Apple, to agree to work on the initiative in 2009, with the view to harmonizing chargers for new smartphone models in 2011. After the initial memorandum of understanding expired in 2012, some of the companies signed letters of intent in 2013 and 2014, supposedly keeping the project alive.
The push for a single charger would benefit consumers as there would be less of a need to keep a variety of chargers on hand for the different devices they own. The Commission also believes switching to a single common charger would eliminate more than 51 thousand tons of electronic waste disposed by consumers every year.
In the decade since the agreement, there has arguably been some level of commonality between chargers, with many consisting of a USB port on a plug and a USB cable that connects to the device, which in many cases can be used by other hardware. There is, however, still a disparity between devices at the point where the accompanying cable connects to the smartphone, with Apple using Lightning while Android devices employ either microUSB or USB-C.
While it is likely Apple will continue to use Lightning as the connection on its iOS devices for some time, there is the possibility that the chargers for the next iPhone generation could have a USB-C port.
A proposal first suggested a decade ago, the European Commission wants mobile device producers to use a single charger, one that would work regardless of the device connected to it. Up until now, it has been voluntary for companies to work on the problem, but Reuters reports EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager is keen for progress to be made on the scheme.
"Given the unsatisfactory progress with this voluntary approach, the Commission will shortly launch an impact assessment study to evaluate costs and benefits of different other options," according to a response from Vestager to an EU lawmaker on August 1.
The Commission did get a collection of device vendors, including Apple, to agree to work on the initiative in 2009, with the view to harmonizing chargers for new smartphone models in 2011. After the initial memorandum of understanding expired in 2012, some of the companies signed letters of intent in 2013 and 2014, supposedly keeping the project alive.
The push for a single charger would benefit consumers as there would be less of a need to keep a variety of chargers on hand for the different devices they own. The Commission also believes switching to a single common charger would eliminate more than 51 thousand tons of electronic waste disposed by consumers every year.
In the decade since the agreement, there has arguably been some level of commonality between chargers, with many consisting of a USB port on a plug and a USB cable that connects to the device, which in many cases can be used by other hardware. There is, however, still a disparity between devices at the point where the accompanying cable connects to the smartphone, with Apple using Lightning while Android devices employ either microUSB or USB-C.
While it is likely Apple will continue to use Lightning as the connection on its iOS devices for some time, there is the possibility that the chargers for the next iPhone generation could have a USB-C port.
Comments
EU, if u wanna do it, do it by raising the bar of all lower grade chargers to meet those of high standards like Apple's. Not the other way round!
the only logical outcome of this is usb-c at the moment.
In the near future, they may become USB-C except in the EU, where standardization won't allow improvement to the next generation of charging.
Standardizing the syncing or charging cable is hardly an issue of waste - you just keep using it. And in today's world, the charger as well.
Though I think the EC’s condescending and parental attitude about this is annoying—“If you’re not going to choose to play with Jimmy nicely then I’m going to stand right here and make you!” It’s not the job of government to flaunt its authority and be a nanny. It’s there to serve the people with humility.
It's not going to cut down on waste. Every device comes with a charger anyway. I can imagine the EU telling company's to make chargers Optional. You want a charger with your device, you have to buy it separately. Really, that would be the ONLY real way to cut down on some waste. Now you can use 1 charger for a number of devices. If you have a charger for each device, you have the same about of cable waste as always.
I have my lightning cables. They work with all my iOS devices, and have for a number of years. As I upgrade my hardware, I'm still using those cables. So where's the waste? It's just more DUMB EU idea's.
Many home video devices such as Bluray players used to come without an HDMI cable, people would just buy the HDMI cable they want: 50cm, 2m, 10m... Same thing for the stuff to be hooked on walls: just buy the proper screws and dowels depending on your walls. Seems simple.
You need to go back to feature phone days when every manufacturer had its own unique charger.
The problem was massive for consumers and the EU. Drawers full of unused chargers or going to landfill.
The RoHs and WEEE directives put the environmental side into order and manufacturers were told in no uncertain terms that if they didn't change their ways, they would be forced to do so via legislation.
Since then we have had a far easier time charging devices.
No one is stifling anything or limiting the advance of technology, just putting some order into the situation.
As for plugs, schuko is fine.
I surmise that Apple already has a roadmap to either replace Lightning in the next few years in favor of USB Type C, or even to deprecate the physical port entirely in favor of wireless charging.