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EU Proposes New Legislation That Would Force Apple to Bring USB-C to iPhones, iPads, and AirPods
Apple has shifted nearly every portable device to tout a USB-C port, except for its iPhone lineup, its AirPods family, and low-cost iPad. Why the company does not shift to an all-USB-C affair might have to do with receiving royalty payments from partners that manufacture third-party accessories of the proprietary port, but that arrangement might come to an end, thanks to a legislation from the EU.
The proposed legislation would force all consumer electronics, not just Apple, which sell devices in Europe, to incorporate USB-C ports in a variety of products, ranging from smartphones, tablets, headphones, cameras, portable speakers, handheld consoles, and others. Calling it the 'common port,' the European Union claims that switching all products to USB-C would not just have benefits to the environment, but annual monetary savings for consumers that mount to $293 million.
Impact assessment study on common chargers of portable devices
Also at Reuters, NYT, BBC, AppleInsider, and Politico.
Previously: The Dream Of A Common Charger Is Alive, Despite Apple's Complaining
(Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 23 2021, @07:34PM (26 children)
Walk through virtually any American home and you will see power outlets. The same outlets. A clear cut case of communism!
(Score: 4, Insightful) by DannyB on Thursday September 23 2021, @07:45PM (19 children)
Speaking of which, you know American power outlets could use some minor redesign. The big issue is to make it impossible to touch the metal prongs while they are energized and the plug is being inserted or removed. Somehow the British have managed to solve that problem if I am not Miss. Steakin'.
Anyone who has seen how Macintosh computers of the 90s powered their CRT monitors would understand what I mean. There is a way to design the "male" connector with a shield around the metal prongs, and design the "female" to have a cutout "trench" around where the prongs go in, such that the shield fits into that trench. This could be designed in a way that old plugs on existing appliances would still plug in to the new outlets. The only drawback is that devices with the new plugs could only plug in to the new outlets without an adapter.
If you think a fertilized egg is a child but an immigrant child is not, please don't pretend your concerns are religious
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 23 2021, @08:08PM (8 children)
Not needed. Hundreds of millions of Americans use these outlets every single day, how many are getting fried from them? The way they are now is working just fine. Like our combined hot-and-cold water taps. You british seem to think your water would be poisoned if you combine the hot and cold water into the same tap, but the rest of the world is getting along just fine with combined taps.
(Score: 3, Informative) by DannyB on Thursday September 23 2021, @08:47PM (7 children)
I am not British. Americans might be less uptight if they watched Benny Hill at high school age.
A few years back, I learned why the British are afraid of mixing hot and cold taps. There was an actual concern, at one time, which is no longer a concern. I don't remember exactly, and I'm sure you could google it. [totalsoftwater.com] But IIRC, it was something like the hot water heater had standing water, or something like that, and it could get bacteria. That was long ago. Cold water was safe for drinking and cooking. But hot was only for bathing. From what I remember, it is no longer a concern. Yet the behavior persists. Anyone with more detailed (or accurate) knowledge feel free to correct what I wrote.
If you think a fertilized egg is a child but an immigrant child is not, please don't pretend your concerns are religious
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 23 2021, @09:46PM (2 children)
You still haven't quantified your "big issue", jackass. Still waiting.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 23 2021, @10:45PM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 24 2021, @12:30AM
Think of the children?
(Score: 5, Informative) by MostCynical on Thursday September 23 2021, @09:50PM (3 children)
in the UK and in Australia, hot water was often stored in a non-pressurized cistern in the roof, and hot water was only gravity fed to the taps in the house.
The plumbing standards said no mixing taps, as the pressurized mains could flow into the hot system (backwards) and because the 'still' water could flow back into the mains.
Either way there were problems - cisterns could grow mould, but the pipes on the 'cold' side could also corrode from the hot water, or you could have no warm water in your 'hot' pipes from the pressurized cold water flowing through your hot pipes (no one likes a cold shower)
Easier and safer to make them separate until they join at the tap - so you need two open taps and a blocked outlet/faucet/shower rose to cause cross-flow.
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 24 2021, @12:20AM (2 children)
Easy solution: clean the pipes regularly.
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Friday September 24 2021, @04:35AM (1 child)
doesn't help the pressure side preventing/blocking warm water flow..
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 24 2021, @03:32PM
I suggest a gentle back and forth action. Females seem to be able to master it by about 19.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Thursday September 23 2021, @08:53PM (1 child)
AKA circumcised vs uncircumsized yes yes I'm familiar with the under the desk plumbing. Women clearly like apple products, which as you explain are circumsized, so I guess we have an answer to which is better.
(Score: 2, Disagree) by DannyB on Thursday September 23 2021, @09:03PM
I have to admit that I am surprised I hadn't thought of that and made some joke of it.
If you think a fertilized egg is a child but an immigrant child is not, please don't pretend your concerns are religious
(Score: 2) by captain normal on Thursday September 23 2021, @09:17PM (1 child)
Shhh....if the manufacturers of electrical devices hear you, we'll wind up having to rewire every building in the world.
"It is easier to fool someone than it is to convince them that they have been fooled" Mark Twain
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday September 23 2021, @09:26PM
I wasn't suggesting any rewiring or voltage changes. Just start using new outlets. Then some years later start putting new plugs on things which plug in to those outlets. But the old plugs would still work on the new outlets.
If you think a fertilized egg is a child but an immigrant child is not, please don't pretend your concerns are religious
(Score: 2) by epitaxial on Thursday September 23 2021, @09:59PM
Let me tell you about old radios with a "hot chassis". Depending on which way the plug was inserted the metal chassis could be at live voltage potential. They got away with this by using plastic cases and knobs.
(Score: 2) by Rich on Friday September 24 2021, @01:06AM (4 children)
No need to redesign the standard. An outlet could be conceived that has a sprung shell around the holes. Because it will be impractical to have the shell extrude for as long as the prongs are (danger of break-off), the shell might just poke out 5 mm or so and close a contact when it is pushed in. Probably already exists. Or maybe not, because RCBOs are cheaper.
The idea of having half-coated prongs was invented at Braun (the famous design HiFi company) and from there found its way into the Europlug. I think the US prongs are too short for that sort of trick, but the English pride them of having the safest plug in the world (those with integrated fuse and switch, because of their obscure house-side ring-wiring) and use half-coating too. (However, anyone who ever has stepped on one such plug will reject the idea that it is safe...). For something entirely sane, I think Brazil has the lead, closely followed by Switzerland.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 24 2021, @09:42AM (2 children)
Looking at pictures, what makes Brazil's better than Australia's? Is it the round vs flat pins?
They both have plugs that cannot be inserted the wrong way when earthed, but Australia's cannot be inserted the wrong way even when using unearthed double-insulated plugs.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 24 2021, @03:34PM
Flip, flip, flip. That's the sound of an Australian plugging something in.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Rich on Friday September 24 2021, @11:01PM
It's the compact size for the Brazil and Switzerland varieties. A single wall-position can take two (or even three) plugs. Otherwise most of the Europlug-compatible varieties would do as well.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 25 2021, @04:58AM
They have plugs with plastic covers over the top prongs. The major problem with them is that there are enough ungrounded US devices that they have to be designed so putting something in the left hole opens the shutter on the right and vice versa. This makes them both prone to shutters failing and difficult to open. Knowing about the problems and complaints in advance results in many (most?) electricians avoiding them where they aren't required by code.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by DannyB on Thursday September 23 2021, @07:49PM (1 child)
While I'm at it, there is another elephant in the room about modern American power outlets.
Almost everything we plug in to most outlets these days are low power DC devices. Even our big screen TVs. The only major exceptions seem to be motorized appliances, or appliances with major heating elements.
It seems that AC is very good for power transmission and distribution up to a building. But DC is what electronics crave.
If you think a fertilized egg is a child but an immigrant child is not, please don't pretend your concerns are religious
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 24 2021, @02:45AM
So keep a few storage batteries (your choice of chemistry) charged with some solar panels, and run separate DC wiring around your house...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 23 2021, @07:50PM (3 children)
Yeah,... and they mostly don't have those same outlets in the European Union. Go figure.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 23 2021, @08:32PM
Maybe they learned from that (pre-EU legacy) mistake?
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday September 23 2021, @08:53PM (1 child)
Looking at a map of voltages by country [wikipedia.org], the US and Canada seem to be in the minority at using 110-120 volts. Most of the rest of the world uses 220-240 v at 50 Hz, and a few at 60 Hz.
Also remember a lot of the US and Canada are sparsely populated.
If you think a fertilized egg is a child but an immigrant child is not, please don't pretend your concerns are religious
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 24 2021, @09:46AM
So when you cram more people together the voltage goes up? By that metric, Australia should be running on about 9 volts and Antarctica several millivolts.