The European Commission is proposing a common charger for all electronic devices. The move is meant to cut down on electronic waste and to reduce customer frustration. Definitely something I resonate with.
Currently, there are three main chargers – Apple’s Lightning for the iPhone, the aging and slowly being phased out MicroUSB and the new kid on the block – USB-C. The EU is proposing that USB-C becomes the common charger in all European Union member states.
This would force all device manufacturers to fit a USB-C port on all smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers and handheld videogame consoles. If a device manufacturer wants to sell their device in Europe it would need to have a USB-C port.
This proposal will not be a problem for most manufactures who have been transitioning to USB-C the last few years. Manufacturers like Samsung, Google, Huawei, Honor, Sony and Xiaomi already use this port on all their flagship smartphones and on most of their other devices.
The real target – Apple
Apple is the only device manufacturer to be affected. They say the universal charger will stop innovation and create more pollution. Weird, coming from Apple whose Lightning cables can only transfer data at USB 2.0 speeds instead of the USB 3.0 speeds achieved by USB-C cables. The innovation has been on the USB-C side, not Lightning.
Apple has stubbornly stuck to its proprietary Lightning port on the iPhone. This has frustrated most customers whose other devices use USB-C – headphones, cameras, speakers etc. Even in Apple’s other devices USB-C is the standard port, all recent iPads and Macbooks have this port.
Some Apple fanboys actually like having a different charger to the rest of the masses. They won’t appreciate Samsung users being able to borrow their chargers. That right there is why Apple is resisting USB-C, it removes their exclusivity status. Too bad, fanboy. There is more that the EU is proposing though, you might like some of it:
Other proposals
- Harmonised fast charging: same thing happening with the chargers. Recently we talked about fast chargers and the frustrating number of fast charging standards. The EU wants to end this madness, no longer will devices using the same charging standard inexplicably have different charging speeds. The EU wants the customer to experience the same charging speed when using any compatible charger. Hallelujah.
- Unbundling the sale of the charger from the sale of electronic devices: I don’t like this one. This was started by Apple when they shipped the iPhone without a charger in the box, talking about reducing e-waste. It’s not about e-waste, it’s about profit. Removing the charger removes the charger’s cost for the manufacturer. The other Android manufacturers already followed suit so I guess the ball is already rolling on this one.
- Improved information to customers: the EU wants manufactures to spell out clearly all charging performance information to ensure customers purchase the correct chargers from the get go. This will decrease e-waste and improve customer satisfaction.
If this passes, it would affect the rest of the world, including us here in Zimbabwe. I am all for it, I’m sick of my headphones and kambudzi using MicroUSB and my phone and power bank using USB-C. Hopefully going forward, all the devices I purchase will have the same port.
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What’s your take?