{"id":36360,"date":"2022-06-27T16:11:36","date_gmt":"2022-06-27T20:11:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=36360"},"modified":"2022-06-27T16:11:36","modified_gmt":"2022-06-27T20:11:36","slug":"eu-and-possibly-us-to-require-usb-c-for-phones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2022\/06\/27\/eu-and-possibly-us-to-require-usb-c-for-phones\/","title":{"rendered":"EU and Possibly US to Require USB-C for Phones"},"content":{"rendered":"

European Parliament<\/a> (via Hacker News<\/a>):<\/p>\n

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By autumn 2024, USB Type-C will become the common charging port for all mobile phones, tablets and cameras in the EU, Parliament and Council negotiators agreed today.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

Under the new rules, consumers will no longer need a different charging device and cable every time they purchase a new device, and can use one single charger for all of their small and medium-sized portable electronic devices. Mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers that are rechargeable via a wired cable will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port, regardless of their manufacturer.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Jon Porter<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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The single biggest impact of this legislation is likely to land on Apple’s iPhone. While the rest of the smartphone industry has gradually converged around USB-C as a single, standardized wired charging port, Apple has steadfastly stuck with Lightning, the proprietary connector it introduced with the iPhone 5<\/a> way back in 2012. The EU’s legislation could finally force it to move on.<\/p>\n

The EU’s rules are just a provisional agreement for now and will need to be approved by both the European Council and European Parliament before they become official. That’s expected to happen after summer recess, which ends on September 1st.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Rosyna Keller<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Of course, even with such mandates, Type C would still have the same major<\/em> flaw Type B, Mini USB, and Micro USB all suffer from: the “male” connector is on the device, not the cable, and that tiny little part can break of or become misaligned, requiring port replacement.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

I’m less worried about that than I used to be because I now use primarily wireless charging. I’m more likely to use a cable when travelling, and that’s when it’s frustrating to need separate cables for Lightning. With newer iPads using USB-C, too, Lightning is not even ubiquitous among Apple devices.<\/p>\n\n

Chance Miller<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Now, a group of senators in the United States is looking to follow suit, calling on the US Commerce Department to adopt a similar policy to address the “lack of interoperability standards for charging and other device accessories.”<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

According to the senators, proprietary charging standards such as Apple’s Lightning port are an example of “planned obsolescence” that is “expensive and frustrating for consumers, and drives the proliferation of electronic waste.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

I don’t think it’s “planned obsolescence.” Switching now would generate more<\/em> waste in the short term, as customers discard their Lightning stuff. Maybe it would reduce waste in the long term, though it’s not clear to me how these proposals address the long term, i.e. how we will ever move beyond<\/em> USB-C after it’s been mandated.<\/p>\n\n

Juli Clover<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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The next-generation AirPods Pro could come with a long list of new features that include heart rate detection, the ability to function as a hearing aid, and a USB-C port according to a report from 52Audio<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Granted, I think a USB-C AirPods case has been rumored ever since the first version.<\/p>\n\n

Previously:<\/p>\n