The European Parliament votes in favor of a common charger despite Apple's protests

31 January 2020
One way to reduce e-waste is to stop bundling new chargers with new phones, but promote a single standard that works with phones of all brands.

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • 2@c
  • 01 Feb 2020

i hope they use apple type connector as the common one, rather than typeC. This is because the male part of the connector is in the cable for the apple one, while it's inside the phone in typeC. So, it'll be cheaper to replace broken connector for the apple one.

    deja vu. I think gsmarena posted a similar article years ago.
    Apple could have made an honest point except that their latest Macbooks Pro use Type-C ports for everything with some supporting Thunderbolt 3. Additionally, they kept shipping 5 watt chargers to their flgship iPhones which is baffling and wasteful.
    It would be nice to use a laptop adapter as a smartphone charger.

      • D
      • AnonD-770477
      • m6b
      • 01 Feb 2020

      Stupid, this goes against common sense. If you don't use the original charger, you will damage the battery (unless you use 500-600 mA which takes forever).
      How about making batteries removable again instead? This will definitely reduce e-waste.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • KSu
        • 01 Feb 2020

        Orange, 01 Feb 2020Imagine if EU decides to force manufacturers to use a headp... moreThey probably should do it as well.
        Nothing better than forcing these manufacturers to give features that companies are boycotting.

          ``The resolution highlights wireless chargers as a way to reduce electronic waste``
          Do they know how it work or they just post such weird things to appeal public?
          Because it dont reduce waste, quiet opposite actually...

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • nbW
            • 01 Feb 2020

            Does that only apply to phones or all kinds of electronics?

              So, what devices are affected by this regulation, besides mobile phones and tablets? What about mobile speakers, wireless handsfree/headsets/headphones, smart watches, e-readers, handheld gaming consoles and so on?

                While it works out for the consumers this time round because usb type C is better than lightning in almost all aspects I wonder what the situation would be if apple (or any company for that matter ) had a better alternative to usb type C. Would they still be forced to type C still? Wouldn't that inhibit technological progress? Or am I missing something here?

                  • O
                  • Orange
                  • gNU
                  • 01 Feb 2020

                  Anonymous, 31 Jan 2020It's normal for apple to protest this way the will no longe... moreImagine if EU decides to force manufacturers to use a headphone jack in every phone. Crybaby apple would flip out lol

                    • t
                    • theStick
                    • uqx
                    • 01 Feb 2020

                    I think the solution to less waste is to bundle the charger only if the customers need it. It doesn't have to be mandatory in the box. A standardized charger means nothing as it was pointed here, companies use their own fast charging tech and advertise is as a selling point. Rules should be better made

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • R04
                      • 01 Feb 2020

                      Good, now off to standardize repairs and easy battery replacements.

                        ishreal, 31 Jan 2020I don't think you understand how government works. If there... moreEU doesn't need a separate Parliament to work. It could be made of Prime Ministers of every country that's in. This way there would be more discussion about what is truly needed, instead of making tomatoes fruits and snails fish.

                          Anonymous, 31 Jan 2020How are they killing innovation in fast charging. All the 5... moreDid you not read the article? EU wants to discourage manufacturers from putting a new power brick with the phone. It means they want you to use the old one. It means they will kill any new version of fast charging.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • KSu
                            • 31 Jan 2020

                            Anonymous, 31 Jan 2020Lightning Port was doing everything the USB-C does way befo... moreIf they do... point remains that they haven't come up with something better than USB type C latest gen. It is already a universal standard. Neither have they brought anything in the world of fast charging. So what future innovation are you talking about? If they had something better to offer, they already would have, its not like they are running low on funds for R&D.
                            They simply want to milk their customers for more profit by stifling innovation.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • 6jq
                              • 31 Jan 2020

                              iNnovation, 31 Jan 2020Ah, forgot that Apple has trademarked "iNnovation" (TM), ev... moreIt is an innovation, one of the best, you still talk about it.

                              Sealing batteries was a giant step back though, which is why nobody talks about it anymore...

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • 0Cn
                                • 31 Jan 2020

                                I somehow agree with apple on this one. It WILL stifle innovation. Get prepared for a world of languishing progress for the next couple of decades.

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • uw4
                                  • 31 Jan 2020

                                  I hate to break it to you all, but apple is not the worst culprit,
                                  they are the laptop manufacturers, every laptop model has its own weird charger plug design and voltages, changing every six months, from model to model, when these fail, your option is potentially dangerous knock off, or expensive 1 party, which become rare, expensive and/or go out of stock after a few years. Rendering your laptop useless, same with replacement batteries.
                                  VERY HAPPY FOR THESE TYPES OF RULES.

                                    • G
                                    • GSM
                                    • 4bd
                                    • 31 Jan 2020

                                    It’s about time someone took a stand. Left to producers, it will never happen. They create different interfaces for various reasons - cost, unique, keep others out and some more. EU requirements makes sense.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • 7Ae
                                      • 31 Jan 2020

                                      Anonymous, 31 Jan 2020"As research by sustainablySMART shows, most of the e-waste... moreThey are intending to sell it seperately in the future, so people buy new phone with no charger. End up using old charger. People in the same household share chargers more which means less chargers.

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • 39y
                                        • 31 Jan 2020

                                        As a first move i do think that with such a high cost and fast charge abilities of flagship phones these should still come with chargers, but mid rangers and below not. If you have bought a top end flagship phone then that charger can also be used with the rest of the phones in the house assuming a standard is used and USB-C seems to be it. I think a move like this will also increase the sales of wireless charging pads.

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