EU: Call to introduce common charger for all mobile phones • Hacker News Board

Re: EU: Call to introduce common charger for all mobile phones

#31

Post by herendin2 » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 12:22 PM UTC

fierarul wrote: post #25

Why stop at mobile phones? Is there a reason laptops need so many different connectors? I am willing to bet many random connectors are just planned obsolescence or a secondary revenue stream for producers. Also, let's take this further. Any reason laptop displays can't internally have a rather standardised connector? We are throwing away perfectly good displays on broken laptops. What if I could buy a $20 adaptor and…

It's not a terrible idea. There are technical, business and regulatory reasons why that could be more difficult than you expect, but ultimately consumers have to want it, and to want it, they have to understand it, which is the greatest problem.

Re: EU: Call to introduce common charger for all mobile phones

#32

Post by Renaud » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 12:26 PM UTC

Apple really dropped the ball on this and the argument they make (thing about all of the old accessories!) is pretty moot for the consumer.

I want all phone to standardise on USB-C. No adapter for Apple, no exception.

The point is not just about charging: accessory manufacturers have to develop 2 physical versions of their equipment, for Apple devices and for Android devices. This increases development and manufacturing costs and restricts the use of the accessory to a single system.

Having more USB-C accessories would also force Apple to increase compatibility with a broader range of accessories. For instance it's impossible to use an off-the-shelf USB drive and connect it to an iPhone to, say, dump pictures to it.

If the iPhone had a standard USB plug, it would be harder for Apple to ignore the perfectly reasonable expectation that plugging in a drive should allow you to do something useful with it.

Today the fact that lighting is not a common port means that you have to buy a 'special' USB drive with a lighting port and then have to find some app that takes advantage of it.

Re: EU: Call to introduce common charger for all mobile phones

#33

Post by specialist » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 12:29 PM UTC

Mindwipe wrote: post #23

jacknews wrote: post #10

Didn't the EU force phone makers to standardize on USB a couple of decades ago? It was an absolute nightmare before that with every brand having completely different connector, voltage etc. I'm not sure how Apple got (and are getting) around this.

Apple got them to water it down so manufacturing a Lightning to USB adaptor was sufficient. It appears to the EU have tired of this.

I love Lightning more than my first born child.

I've been using USB-C now for about 3 months. Expected to hate it. It's pretty terrific. I'm sold.

But whatever. Rumors are Apple will transition their mobiles to fully wireless charging. I'm totally on board.

Re: EU: Call to introduce common charger for all mobile phones

#34

Post by clarry » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 12:29 PM UTC

herendin2 wrote: post #31

fierarul wrote: post #25

Why stop at mobile phones? Is there a reason laptops need so many different connectors? I am willing to bet many random connectors are just planned obsolescence or a secondary revenue stream for producers. Also, let's take this further. Any reason laptop displays can't internally have a rather standardised connector? We are throwing away perfectly good displays on broken laptops. What if I could buy a $20 adaptor and…

It's not a terrible idea. There are technical, business and regulatory reasons why that could be more difficult than you expect, but ultimately consumers have to want it, and to want it, they have to understand it, which is the greatest problem.

Even if consumers wanted it, it does nothing as long as they are not given the choice. They buy what's available, which is often only in part what they want.

Re: EU: Call to introduce common charger for all mobile phones

#35

Post by gambiting » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 12:29 PM UTC

fierarul wrote: post #25

Why stop at mobile phones? Is there a reason laptops need so many different connectors? I am willing to bet many random connectors are just planned obsolescence or a secondary revenue stream for producers. Also, let's take this further. Any reason laptop displays can't internally have a rather standardised connector? We are throwing away perfectly good displays on broken laptops. What if I could buy a $20 adaptor and…

Well, at least one reason for different connectors is the fact that USB-C cannot support more than 100W(20V at 5amps). But I agree that literally every single laptop on the market that's below 100W should just use USB-C for charging.

Re: EU: Call to introduce common charger for all mobile phones

#36

Post by andai » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 12:29 PM UTC

yostrovs wrote: post #30

fierarul wrote: post #25

Why stop at mobile phones? Is there a reason laptops need so many different connectors? I am willing to bet many random connectors are just planned obsolescence or a secondary revenue stream for producers. Also, let's take this further. Any reason laptop displays can't internally have a rather standardised connector? We are throwing away perfectly good displays on broken laptops. What if I could buy a $20 adaptor and…

Let's take this further still. Why not mandate identical car tire sizes, having the fuel door in the same spot on every car, all the controls inside the car be universal... How about actually just making one car that embodies every European's needs?

You mean, one public transport :)

Re: EU: Call to introduce common charger for all mobile phones

#37

Post by Kuinox » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 12:32 PM UTC

fierarul wrote: post #25

Why stop at mobile phones? Is there a reason laptops need so many different connectors? I am willing to bet many random connectors are just planned obsolescence or a secondary revenue stream for producers. Also, let's take this further. Any reason laptop displays can't internally have a rather standardised connector? We are throwing away perfectly good displays on broken laptops. What if I could buy a $20 adaptor and…

Some brand get the same connectors, and it's been for years, for example, dell has the same big connector for laptops, and a smaller one for ultrabooks.

They are switching to usb-c charging, but keep their old connector.

Laptop displays have already a standardised connector it just need an LCD controller! https://www.amazon.fr/s?k=LCD+controller

So yes, you are throwing perfectly fine laptop screen when you could have used them as external screens.

Re: EU: Call to introduce common charger for all mobile phones

#38

Post by gambiting » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 12:33 PM UTC

yostrovs wrote: post #30

fierarul wrote: post #25

Why stop at mobile phones? Is there a reason laptops need so many different connectors? I am willing to bet many random connectors are just planned obsolescence or a secondary revenue stream for producers. Also, let's take this further. Any reason laptop displays can't internally have a rather standardised connector? We are throwing away perfectly good displays on broken laptops. What if I could buy a $20 adaptor and…

Let's take this further still. Why not mandate identical car tire sizes, having the fuel door in the same spot on every car, all the controls inside the car be universal... How about actually just making one car that embodies every European's needs?

You can argue that there is an actual practical reason for things like different tyre sizes. There is no practical reason for having slightly different barrel connectors on different laptops that makes them all incompatible.

Re: EU: Call to introduce common charger for all mobile phones

#39

Post by alperakgun » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 12:33 PM UTC

gambiting wrote: post #35

fierarul wrote: post #25

Why stop at mobile phones? Is there a reason laptops need so many different connectors? I am willing to bet many random connectors are just planned obsolescence or a secondary revenue stream for producers. Also, let's take this further. Any reason laptop displays can't internally have a rather standardised connector? We are throwing away perfectly good displays on broken laptops. What if I could buy a $20 adaptor and…

Well, at least one reason for different connectors is the fact that USB-C cannot support more than 100W(20V at 5amps). But I agree that literally every single laptop on the market that's below 100W should just use USB-C for charging.

For laptops there's a true cacophony when it comes to connectors. I hope USB-C meets requirements for most laptops/CPU/GPU configurations.

Re: EU: Call to introduce common charger for all mobile phones

#40

Post by guilamu » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 12:33 PM UTC

gambiting wrote: post #35

fierarul wrote: post #25

Why stop at mobile phones? Is there a reason laptops need so many different connectors? I am willing to bet many random connectors are just planned obsolescence or a secondary revenue stream for producers. Also, let's take this further. Any reason laptop displays can't internally have a rather standardised connector? We are throwing away perfectly good displays on broken laptops. What if I could buy a $20 adaptor and…

Well, at least one reason for different connectors is the fact that USB-C cannot support more than 100W(20V at 5amps). But I agree that literally every single laptop on the market that's below 100W should just use USB-C for charging.

95 % of laptops have less than 100W chargers.