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EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

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Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#271
The whole discussion reminds me a bit of the similar move the EU did back in 2009: Introduce a (voluntary) common external power supply (Micro-USB).

Now, I feel the same arguments are brought in again. 1) Hinders innovation 2) Lock on a single technology 3) Creates trash by soon obsolete "deprecated" connector types

My bet: 2024 (!) onwards, nearly nobody will be affected by the "downsides".

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#272
post #123

By the way, that's also how Tesla and all other cars have the same electric plug in EU(not the USB mandate but the car plug standardisation mandate). Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is what happens if better solutions are found. Will EU block innovation? That question is addressed in the Q&A: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_... In essence, they seem to believe that wired char…

What if Apple finally comes out with wired mag safe for the iPhone? Does they count as wireless? Or would it be illegal in Europe because a wire was still involved even if the connection was magnetic?

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#273
post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>It's still not a great spec if it's so complex that you can screw it up. People and companies can screw thing up royally regardless of spec complexity when there's no review/oversight involved. That's not a valid argument. If you want to force and check adherence to a spec you need to involve certification authorities (TÜV, SGS, UL, etc.) but then widget prices would increase dramatically. Edit: to address the child…

I think it's a reasonable point. A more complex spec is going to be harder to implement correctly.

And more expensive to boot.

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#274
post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

EU is a densely populated place where having multiple charging networks of incomparable plugs will be horrible. When you are not happy with decisions the governments make, it usually means that you should be involved in the process of making the decisions. Europeans don't trust that the industry will always come up with the best solutions for the user, Americans usually don't trust the government doing something well…

I'm not a citizen of the EU, so your various centrally-planned interventions in the world economy affect me without any possibility of representation. It leaves me hoping your economy becomes much smaller so Asia can start ignoring it. Or reform I guess, the vote is yours, not mine.

We all affect each other, a lot of American things have become de facto stands. Anyway, be careful what you wish because it might become real and you might find out that Asia is not the libertarian utopia.

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#275
post #123

By the way, that's also how Tesla and all other cars have the same electric plug in EU(not the USB mandate but the car plug standardisation mandate). Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is what happens if better solutions are found. Will EU block innovation? That question is addressed in the Q&A: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_... In essence, they seem to believe that wired char…

> Will EU block innovation?

Innovation is overrated. And standardising is not blocking.

What we need more urgently than innovation is to stop creating so much waste, extracting so much stuff from the earth, and in general reduce consumption. Standardisation accomplishes at least some of that.

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#276
post #94
post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Power and ground wires alone don't cut it sadly when you're dealing with much higher wattages. There needs to be a level of negotiation between the host and the charger to decide on a specific power (current & voltage) that both can support. In USB-A this was accomplished through a hodge-podge of different resistances applied across data lines, not officially part of the standard but just done by manufacturers. USB-C…

> I do agree however that the cable-labelling situation is awful. The new rules mention that and aim to fix it by demanding clear labels.

I’d like to see where the labels are put. It’s not like there’s a lot of room on a cable for legible printing. And any kind of plastic flag wont last.

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#277
post #123

By the way, that's also how Tesla and all other cars have the same electric plug in EU(not the USB mandate but the car plug standardisation mandate). Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is what happens if better solutions are found. Will EU block innovation? That question is addressed in the Q&A: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_... In essence, they seem to believe that wired char…

What if Apple finally comes out with wired mag safe for the iPhone? Does they count as wireless? Or would it be illegal in Europe because a wire was still involved even if the connection was magnetic?

How about we wait until Apple comes up with a MagSafe connector for phones they want to use and the big bad regulators won't let them?

Tim Cook has his own PR team, haha.

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#278

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s a lot smaller, locks into the car while charging, and doesn’t have an extra flap you have to open when using DC fast charging.

> locks into the car while charging The EU plug locks into the car while charging. Not sure why you think it doesn't. There's also no obligation to have an extra flap, my Model 3 does not.

I second this. I'm frequently using the volkswagen ID.3 and there is no way to unplug it unless you unlock it from charging station with the card you find it in the car (at least in Berlin).

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#279

What I don't understand from Apple - they have already made the move to USB-C with laptops (ditching the Magsafe - that was way more practical than the USB-C connector), why resisting this much for the iPhone/iPad/etc? I understand that they have additional revenue streams by licensing lighting to accessories manufactures, but still...

The only iPad that still uses lightning is the $329 cheap one.

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#280
post #123

By the way, that's also how Tesla and all other cars have the same electric plug in EU(not the USB mandate but the car plug standardisation mandate). Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is what happens if better solutions are found. Will EU block innovation? That question is addressed in the Q&A: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_... In essence, they seem to believe that wired char…

What if Apple finally comes out with wired mag safe for the iPhone? Does they count as wireless? Or would it be illegal in Europe because a wire was still involved even if the connection was magnetic?

USBC can be made to be "MagSafe". When Apple only sold laptops with USB-C ports there were a bunch of MagSafe knockoffs sold for laptops. Although most of the time they would break eventually but it's not impossible. If it just was a special cord as long as you could use a regular USBC cord it seems like it would be compliant but IANAL.
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