SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
USB-C to be mandatory for phones sold in the EU by autumn 2024
The EU have agreed legislation, alternate link, forcing all future smartphones sold in the EU — including Apple's iPhone — be equipped with USB-C port for wired charging by autumn 2024. The rule will also apply to other electronic devices including tablets, digital cameras, headphones, handheld video game consoles, and e-readers. Laptops will have to comply with the rule at a later date.
The legislation still needs to be approved by the EU Parliament and Council later this year, but this appears to be a formality. In a press release, the European Parliament stated clearly that the law will be in place "by autumn 2024." By this date, all devices covered by the law and sold in the EU will have to use USB-C for wired charging.
EU Agrees Single Mobile Charging Port in Blow to Apple
EU agrees single mobile charging port in blow to Apple:
Apple (AAPL.O) will have to change the connector on iPhones sold in Europe by 2024 after EU countries and lawmakers agreed on Tuesday to a single mobile charging port for mobile phones, tablets and cameras in a world first.
The political intervention, which the European Commission said would make life easier for consumers and save them money, came after companies failed to reach a common solution.
Brussels has been pushing for a single mobile charging port for more than a decade, prompted by complaints from iPhone and Android users about having to switch to different chargers for their devices.
iPhones are charged from a Lightning cable, while Android-based devices use USB-C connectors.
Half the chargers sold with mobile phones in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, while 29% had a USB-C connector and 21% a Lightning connector, according to a 2019 Commission study.
"By autumn 2024, USB Type-C will become the common charging port for all mobile phones, tablets and cameras in the EU," the European Parliament said in a statement.
EU industry chief Thierry Breton said the deal would save around 250 million euros ($267 million) for consumers.
"It will also allow new technologies such as wireless charging to emerge and to mature without letting innovation become a source of market fragmentation and consumer inconvenience," he said.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by janrinok on Wednesday June 08 2022, @01:28PM (3 children)
So are you suggesting that we should never make regulations because something better might eventually come along? That is exactly what we have had and the amount of waste and surplus charging devices that are around is a real problem now.
If something comes along later the law can always have an amendment written once the new standard has proven its worth. So you don't change the regulation every six months just because a manufacturer has thought of another 'standard' but if something better is found then you can start a gradual change to the better connector over a period of time.
I cannot see a reason why the same sort of idea could be used in your seatbelt example. If there is a cost-effective and proven improvement that is acceptable to the public (I don't want to be strapped in with a 4 or 5 point harness system if the existing seat belt and airbag provides adequate protection for me) then I cannot see why the law cannot be changed to allow both types to be acceptable for a period of time before phasing out the existing requirement completely. That it hasn't be done is a failure of law makers, and not an excuse to not make any regulations at all.
I am not interested in knowing who people are or where they live. My interest starts and stops at our servers.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday June 08 2022, @05:38PM (2 children)
Actually, that does sound like a good reason to keep the EU out of this. It shouldn't be the EU's job to meddle with electronics and the like. Getting in the way of good technologies is a big reason why.
(Score: 3, Touché) by janrinok on Wednesday June 08 2022, @05:54PM (1 child)
Your 'meddling with electronics' is our saving waste and the expense of multiple chargers. It makes good sense to me.
I am not interested in knowing who people are or where they live. My interest starts and stops at our servers.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Friday June 10 2022, @12:11PM