Man, Americans sure do seem to get mega butthurt about EU regulation. Funny how that comes while being comparatively silent about the shit Russia and China are pulling, including some pretty grievous human rights violations.
Needless to say, most of the comments in here are trash from people who haven't even read or properly considered the actual proposal.
Good Lord, I knew the ardent Apple lovers would oppose this.
You're all forgetting that the EU did the same thing for microUSB in 2008/2009. This isn't new.
Of course Apple will gripe and groan about it because their phones don't come with a charger and they want to sell you one.
Most phones sold today have a USB-C port. This stalwart, hold-out attitude from Apple for accepting industry standards is a carry over from Apple of the 90s. It's fascinating.
They tried and failed. Since then lightning and usb-c were developed. It they were forced to use micro USB, Europe would be stuck using microUSB today.
Why?
At the time the standard was released in 2010, Apple was still using the 30 pin connector. Apple was allowed a Micro USB to 30 pin adaptor to meet the EU standard.
In late 2012, Apple introduced the Lightning connector, an innovation at the time, and this time Apple was allowed a Micro USB to Lightning adaptor, again meeting the standard.
Later in the decade, Android OS phones began appearing with USB Type C connectors, and met the EU requirement with, guess what, a Micro USB to USB Type C adaptor.
If the EU had not allowed the adaptor in 2010, there would have been no way for the USB Type C connector to be implemented in any smartphone with the existing standard.
As a practical matter, and given that iPhone is about a 30% user share of the EU market, it actually makes sense that there be multiple connection standards via an adaptor, to allow innovation, given that the adaptor is about a 2 gram item, so a minimal contributor to e-waste.
The irony of this is that Apple is almost certainly heading to a wireless charging future and a transition to USB Type C from Lightning doesn't make any sense to them, even given that the law doesn't come into effect until 2024.
In the meantime, Apple has eliminated the charger from its iPhone packaging, that being the by far the largest component of the e-waste stream.
I just wanted to reiterate that the Micro USB connector was, and is, unloved by the public.
So you are assuming that the EU would not have upgraded to current technology.
Personally this would be a a win for myself, iPad, Cameras, GoPro, MC Helmet all are using USB-C, the fact that I have to carry around a lightning cable for AirPods (Max & Pro) and the iPhone is pretty silly really.
About this being a regulation; this is exactly where you want regulation as a consumer, no one seems to be complaining that not every house have different power plugs. It is a win for both consumers and third party vendors. Kudos EU!
Of course proposing amendments like this are basically impossible because the EC isn't democratic, but I digress.
Thank you for including that comment. Now I can safely ignore everything else that you have written.
This directive was proposed by the European Commission, who are not directly elected by the citizens of the EU. Did you need a reminder of the definition of democracy?
No, I don’t. Do you need a reminder of how the EU works?
I suspect that Apple will bypass it all by going straight to wireless charging. That might explain why they haven’t yet adopted USB-C for phones. Why adopt a stop-gap measure for the entire range of phones, when you will eventually go wireless anyway?
While most of Europe has a two pin plug for their 220/240 power, The UK has their own proprieatary jumbo three pin plug that is a pain to pack let alone use. We had a flat for 20 years in the UK and the plugs get really old to use and the rats nests of expansion outlets would be considered a fire hazard in the USA.
So, not if but when, Apple goes completely wireless on the iPhone, there will still have to be a wall wart for the MagSafe or it's equivalent to plug into. Apple now has 20, 30 31, 60ish, 80 and 95 watt wall bricks. Apple's largest is smart enough to service the lower loads without toasting the appliance so perhaps when the dust settles, there will be one just large wall wart from Apple with interchangeable adapters depending on the country?
Just in c case you missed it, Apple supplies a nearly 100 watt USB C charger for the 2019 vintage 16" laptop. So there will still be different power supplies or else a device needing 5 watts gets toasted by a 100 watt power supply.
That is not how power supplies work.
You know how a 20W table lamp won't blow up in your face when you connect it to a power socket supplying the usual 16A of current? The way it only uses 20W of the available power?
Of course proposing amendments like this are basically impossible because the EC isn't democratic, but I digress.
Thank you for including that comment. Now I can safely ignore everything else that you have written.
This directive was proposed by the European Commission, who are not directly elected by the citizens of the EU. Did you need a reminder of the definition of democracy?
You might want to look that up. Most democracies work that way, including the United States. And the EU, where the EU Commissioners are proposed by the Council (composed of one representative from every single member state) and approved by the parliament (which is directly elected by the population of the EU).
While most of Europe has a two pin plug for their 220/240 power, The UK has their own proprieatary jumbo three pin plug that is a pain to pack let alone use. We had a flat for 20 years in the UK and the plugs get really old to use and the rats nests of expansion outlets would be considered a fire hazard in the USA.
So, not if but when, Apple goes completely wireless on the iPhone, there will still have to be a wall wart for the MagSafe or it's equivalent to plug into. Apple now has 20, 30 31, 60ish, 80 and 95 watt wall bricks. Apple's largest is smart enough to service the lower loads without toasting the appliance so perhaps when the dust settles, there will be one just large wall wart from Apple with interchangeable adapters depending on the country?
The 96W charger is bulky and heavy. I'm sure they'll keep smaller ones around at least until the tech shrinks and lightens to the point where the differences become negligible.
Apple now has 20, 30 31, 60ish, 80 and 95 watt wall bricks. Apple's largest is smart enough to service the lower loads without toasting the appliance so perhaps when the dust settles, there will be one just large wall wart from Apple with interchangeable adapters depending on the country?
For all of those discussing wattage and "smarts" and Apple's is "smart enough", you need to learn about USB-C PD (Power Delivery).
USB-C PD is a standard, and not an Apple technology. Apple's USB-C AC adapters support USB-C PD. The smarts is in the standard. A USB-C PD device, the USB-C cable & the USB-C PD AC adapter negotiate both the voltage and the amperage required (sometime the device will negotiation a variety of voltages/amperages). If the AC Adapter & the cable supports (there are "E-Markers" in the USB-C cables (if built to standard) that identify what the cable is capable of) what the device needs, it works. So all three pieces know what is available. There are various versions of USB-C PD (1, 2, 3, and maybe some point releases in between). Newer stuff usually (not always) supports the later USB-C PD standards, which are generally backwards compatible, but with additional voltage & amperage choices.
When the Nintendo Switch was released, it used a newer version of USB-C PD standard. Some older USB-C PD AC adapters wouldn't work with it, because they only supported the older standard, and couldn't offer the voltage/amperage the Nintendo switch required.
Most USB-C PD AC adapters will have the offered voltages & amperages printed on the AC adapter or at least in the documentation.
Good Lord, I knew the ardent Apple lovers would oppose this.
You're all forgetting that the EU did the same thing for microUSB in 2008/2009. This isn't new.
Of course Apple will gripe and groan about it because their phones don't come with a charger and they want to sell you one.
Most phones sold today have a USB-C port. This stalwart, hold-out attitude from Apple for accepting industry standards is a carry over from Apple of the 90s. It's fascinating.
They tried and failed. Since then lightning and usb-c were developed. It they were forced to use micro USB, Europe would be stuck using microUSB today.
Why?
At the time the standard was released in 2010, Apple was still using the 30 pin connector. Apple was allowed a Micro USB to 30 pin adaptor to meet the EU standard.
In late 2012, Apple introduced the Lightning connector, an innovation at the time, and this time Apple was allowed a Micro USB to Lightning adaptor, again meeting the standard.
Later in the decade, Android OS phones began appearing with USB Type C connectors, and met the EU requirement with, guess what, a Micro USB to USB Type C adaptor.
If the EU had not allowed the adaptor in 2010, there would have been no way for the USB Type C connector to be implemented in any smartphone with the existing standard.
As a practical matter, and given that iPhone is about a 30% user share of the EU market, it actually makes sense that there be multiple connection standards via an adaptor, to allow innovation, given that the adaptor is about a 2 gram item, so a minimal contributor to e-waste.
The irony of this is that Apple is almost certainly heading to a wireless charging future and a transition to USB Type C from Lightning doesn't make any sense to them, even given that the law doesn't come into effect until 2024.
In the meantime, Apple has eliminated the charger from its iPhone packaging, that being the by far the largest component of the e-waste stream.
I just wanted to reiterate that the Micro USB connector was, and is, unloved by the public.
So you are assuming that the EU would not have upgraded to current technology.
I don't see any reason to believe that.
The EU has only now updated the previous standard, which was Micro USB, to USB Type C, and the old standard is allowed until late 2024 during the transition.
While most of Europe has a two pin plug for their 220/240 power, The UK has their own proprieatary jumbo three pin plug that is a pain to pack let alone use. We had a flat for 20 years in the UK and the plugs get really old to use and the rats nests of expansion outlets would be considered a fire hazard in the USA.
So, not if but when, Apple goes completely wireless on the iPhone, there will still have to be a wall wart for the MagSafe or it's equivalent to plug into. Apple now has 20, 30 31, 60ish, 80 and 95 watt wall bricks. Apple's largest is smart enough to service the lower loads without toasting the appliance so perhaps when the dust settles, there will be one just large wall wart from Apple with interchangeable adapters depending on the country?
There's nothing proprietary about the UK plug (also used in Malaysia, Singapore, across the Middle East, and in a few African countries), it's just a different standard. And Apple already ships power supplies with interchangeable adaptors depending on the country for most of its products.
Comments
Needless to say, most of the comments in here are trash from people who haven't even read or properly considered the actual proposal.
About this being a regulation; this is exactly where you want regulation as a consumer, no one seems to be complaining that not every house have different power plugs. It is a win for both consumers and third party vendors. Kudos EU!
So, not if but when, Apple goes completely wireless on the iPhone, there will still have to be a wall wart for the MagSafe or it's equivalent to plug into. Apple now has 20, 30 31, 60ish, 80 and 95 watt wall bricks. Apple's largest is smart enough to service the lower loads without toasting the appliance so perhaps when the dust settles, there will be one just large wall wart from Apple with interchangeable adapters depending on the country?
You know how a 20W table lamp won't blow up in your face when you connect it to a power socket supplying the usual 16A of current? The way it only uses 20W of the available power?
Like that.
You might want to look that up. Most democracies work that way, including the United States. And the EU, where the EU Commissioners are proposed by the Council (composed of one representative from every single member state) and approved by the parliament (which is directly elected by the population of the EU).
USB-C PD is a standard, and not an Apple technology. Apple's USB-C AC adapters support USB-C PD. The smarts is in the standard. A USB-C PD device, the USB-C cable & the USB-C PD AC adapter negotiate both the voltage and the amperage required (sometime the device will negotiation a variety of voltages/amperages). If the AC Adapter & the cable supports (there are "E-Markers" in the USB-C cables (if built to standard) that identify what the cable is capable of) what the device needs, it works. So all three pieces know what is available. There are various versions of USB-C PD (1, 2, 3, and maybe some point releases in between). Newer stuff usually (not always) supports the later USB-C PD standards, which are generally backwards compatible, but with additional voltage & amperage choices.
When the Nintendo Switch was released, it used a newer version of USB-C PD standard. Some older USB-C PD AC adapters wouldn't work with it, because they only supported the older standard, and couldn't offer the voltage/amperage the Nintendo switch required.
Most USB-C PD AC adapters will have the offered voltages & amperages printed on the AC adapter or at least in the documentation.