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Brussels — The EU aims to have a common charging port for mobile phones, tablets and headphones under the proposal of the European Commission, announced on Thursday for the first time in the world. This move has had a bigger impact on iPhone maker Apple than its rivals.
The move has been going on for over a decade, with European Union executives touting environmental benefits and annual user savings of € 250 million ($ 293 million).
At the Commission’s suggestion, the USB-C connector will be the standard port for all smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers, and handheld video game consoles. Chargers are also sold separately from electronic devices.
EU executives will revise eco-design regulations in the near future to make external power sources interoperable. This is the final step in common charging.
The commission said it wasn’t targeting Apple and acted because companies couldn’t agree on a common solution, despite 10 years of talks that reduced the number of mobile phone chargers from 30 to 3. Stated.
Apple opposed the proposal.
“We are concerned that strict regulations that require only one type of connector will curb rather than promote innovation, which will harm consumers in Europe and around the world,” the company said in a statement. Stated.
He also expressed concern about the 24-month transition period for companies to comply with the law after it was adopted.
Thierry Breton, the commission’s industry director, pointed out the unsightly sight of multiple charging cables.
“My job is to kill these reef snakes as much as possible,” he said at a press conference.
Breton also dismissed Apple’s comment as an old conservative.
“I’ve known these companies for years. Every time we (submit) a proposal, they start saying,” Oh, that would be against innovation. ” No, it’s not against innovation, it’s not against anyone. It’s for consumers, like everything the committee does, “he said.
Android and iPhone users have long complained about having to use different chargers for their phones. The former is charged from the Lightning cable, and Android-based devices are charged using the USB-C connector.
According to a 2019 Commission survey, half of the chargers sold on mobile phones in 2018 have a USB micro-B connector, 29% have a USB-C connector, and 21% have a Lightning connector. had.
The proposal requires green light from EU member states and EU parliamentarians, after which the company has two years to adapt the device.
Fu Yun Qi
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