Add Category
Forget rummaging through the junk drawer. Soon, we may only need to reach for one cable to charge our smartphones and other devices.
Officials in Europe have inked a provisional agreement that will require all devices to use the same charging cord. It’s part of a wider effort to make products sold in the 27-nation European Union more sustainable and cut down on electronic waste, but the change could have a global impact.
Apple’s iPhones have used the Lightning connector for charging since 2012’s iPhone 5, although many of its iPads have moved to USB-C.Credit:
The new rules, which will take effect by mid-2024, mean EU consumers will only need to use a common USB Type-C cable for small and medium-sized rechargeable, portable electronic devices. By extension, this means all new smartphones and tablets must feature USB-C sockets.
“European consumers were frustrated with multiple chargers piling up within their homes,” Alex Agius Saliba, the European Parliament’s lead negotiator, said at a press briefing in Brussels.
“Now, they will be able to go with a single charger for all portable electronics, which is an important step to increase consumer convenience.”
USB-C is standard across almost all portable devices, but there are notable holdouts.
Beyond phones and tablets, the devices covered also include e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld video game consoles, keyboards and mice, portable speakers and navigation devices.
Laptops also are covered, but manufacturers will have extra time to comply.
While manufacturers will only be compelled to provide the USB-C sockets in the European single market, most are unlikely to produce different models for different parts of the world. Like the EU’s strict privacy regulations, the USB-C rule could end up becoming a de facto standard for the entire world.