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One for all: USB-C charging cable
Photo: Alexander Yakimov Nickolaevich / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Uniform charging cables for smartphones and other devices are getting closer, some are talking about an “anti-Apple law”: The EU parliamentarians in the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) agreed on their position on the project on Wednesday, which the plenary is likely to do these are expected to be confirmed in May.
After that, the final negotiations between the European Parliament and the EU states can begin.
An agreement could be reached this summer - if successful, the common charging cable in the EU would probably become a reality in mid-2024.
In many points, the positions of the EU states and the EU Parliament are already very close.
For example, both sides want USB-C to be used uniformly for mobile phones, tablets, laptops, headphones and digital cameras.
In fact, USB-C is already the standard connection for these devices.
Apple, however, continues to use the Lightning connector it developed in its iPhones and the cheapest iPads.
Mac computers and the rest of the iPads, on the other hand, already have USB-C ports.
The company regards an obligation to have uniform charging sockets as an obstacle to innovation.
A single standard saves resources, avoids thousands of tons of electronic waste and is easy on consumers' wallets, said Anna Cavazzini (Greens), Chairwoman of the Internal Market Committee.
She was pleased that Parliament was pushing for more smaller devices to fall under the new rules.
The committee is demanding that smartwatches and other wearables also fall under the new requirements, provided they are large enough for a USB-C connection.
According to the committee, the Commission must make a proposal by the end of 2026 to add further product categories.
A uniform standard should also be found for wireless charging by 2026.
More than ten years ago, the commission brought the charging cable issue up for the first time.
14 manufacturers – including Apple – agreed to a uniform standard for mobile phone power supplies in a voluntary commitment.
When it comes to the sockets in smartphones and tablet computers, three of what used to be several dozen types remain: USB-C, Apple’s Lightning connector and micro-USB.
According to the EU Commission, an estimated 11,000 to 13,000 tons of electrical waste are generated every year from discarded and unused chargers.
The new rules could save almost 1,000 tons of this.
pbe/dpa
