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EU plans to force OEMs to use a common charger for all phones

xda-developers.com

11–20 of 751 posts

Re: EU plans to force OEMs to use a common charger for all phones

#11
post #4

Good, though in practice it's not the charger the problem, I use the same USB plug everywhere, it's Apple and their cable. Right now I always need with me a micro USB cable, an USB-C one, and Lightning, because Apple thinks different™. What's Apple reasoning for not abandoning Lightning for USB-C on their phones?

You can get away with 1 cable actually :) That's what I do. Be it car, home - it is convenient to have any port available. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001490533074.html

Re: EU plans to force OEMs to use a common charger for all phones

#12
post #5

This is non-news, this has already been the case since 2009 [1]. It mandates micro USB, EU iPhones come with an adapter. I'm not sure what the current status is, USB-C phones don't come with an adapter. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_external_power_supply

> EU iPhones come with an adapter.

Source? Since 2009 I probably had 8 iPhones or so, never seen or heard about any adapter

Re: EU plans to force OEMs to use a common charger for all phones

#13
post #4

Good, though in practice it's not the charger the problem, I use the same USB plug everywhere, it's Apple and their cable. Right now I always need with me a micro USB cable, an USB-C one, and Lightning, because Apple thinks different™. What's Apple reasoning for not abandoning Lightning for USB-C on their phones?

> What's Apple reasoning for not abandoning Lightning for USB-C on their phones? People having a lot of legacy MFi stuff. Car docks and stereo systems in particular are expensive to replace.

They didn't see this as a problem when they introduced lightning and USB-C on their macBooks and high-end iPads, though. Instead you were supposed to buy more future electronic waste in form of dongles.

Re: EU plans to force OEMs to use a common charger for all phones

#14
post #5

This is non-news, this has already been the case since 2009 [1]. It mandates micro USB, EU iPhones come with an adapter. I'm not sure what the current status is, USB-C phones don't come with an adapter. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_external_power_supply

That’s a different law, it requires a USB connection on the side of the charger. This would require a USB connector on the side of the phone.

Re: EU plans to force OEMs to use a common charger for all phones

#15
post #4

Good, though in practice it's not the charger the problem, I use the same USB plug everywhere, it's Apple and their cable. Right now I always need with me a micro USB cable, an USB-C one, and Lightning, because Apple thinks different™. What's Apple reasoning for not abandoning Lightning for USB-C on their phones?

> What's Apple reasoning for not abandoning Lightning for USB-C on their phones? People having a lot of legacy MFi stuff. Car docks and stereo systems in particular are expensive to replace.

Most car docks I’ve seen had a swappable base plate to accommodate either lightning or USB C.

Now days of course, they’re all moving to wireless charging anyway.

Re: EU plans to force OEMs to use a common charger for all phones

#17

Good. We need this. The USB-C connector is capable of providing laptop-grade power supply, and Apple is the only straggler that I know of.

I think it’s a horrible idea. It means moving to a future, better standard (let’s say, USB-D) is neigh impossible as it would require a change to an EU directive (that is: 27 countries need to agree on it). Just getting this into law has already been in the works for years and years, if the EU had worked a bit faster we would have been stuck with micro USB-B, which would have been unfortunate.

This could've all been avoided if all manufacturers just followed the previous EU guideline (explicitly not a law) and agreed on a connector. It more or less said "we don't care what you choose, just choose one".

But Apple didn't want to listen and now the EU commission is sick of it and introduces a law. It's the industry's own damn fault that it didn't take the hand that reached out to it.

Re: EU plans to force OEMs to use a common charger for all phones

#18
post #4

Good, though in practice it's not the charger the problem, I use the same USB plug everywhere, it's Apple and their cable. Right now I always need with me a micro USB cable, an USB-C one, and Lightning, because Apple thinks different™. What's Apple reasoning for not abandoning Lightning for USB-C on their phones?

> What's Apple reasoning for not abandoning Lightning for USB-C on their phones? People having a lot of legacy MFi stuff. Car docks and stereo systems in particular are expensive to replace.

This concern does not translate well to anybody wanting to switch platforms. This level of sunk cost fallacy would not fly as an excuse for any other technology, let alone on HN.

Re: EU plans to force OEMs to use a common charger for all phones

#19
post #12
post #5

This is non-news, this has already been the case since 2009 [1]. It mandates micro USB, EU iPhones come with an adapter. I'm not sure what the current status is, USB-C phones don't come with an adapter. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_external_power_supply

> EU iPhones come with an adapter. Source? Since 2009 I probably had 8 iPhones or so, never seen or heard about any adapter

I don't know if it's what the author of this comment meant, but iphone chargers have an USB plug and the charging cable is a USB - Lightning cable. But it's the case everywhere no?

Re: EU plans to force OEMs to use a common charger for all phones

#20

Good. We need this. The USB-C connector is capable of providing laptop-grade power supply, and Apple is the only straggler that I know of.

I think it’s a horrible idea. It means moving to a future, better standard (let’s say, USB-D) is neigh impossible as it would require a change to an EU directive (that is: 27 countries need to agree on it). Just getting this into law has already been in the works for years and years, if the EU had worked a bit faster we would have been stuck with micro USB-B, which would have been unfortunate.

You mean that Aprils fools joke USB-D?
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