Dos_Box Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 At last: BBC News - Europe backs call for universal smartphone charger It's been on the cards for some time, but at last they have agreed to press on with it. The design of charger being favoured uses a Micro USB connector - a format used on many handsets and other devices already. Apple has yet to respond to the proposals as it is one of the few manufacturers that produces gadgets with proprietary power ports. However, it was one of the original signatories of the agreement Europe reached with manufacturers to produce the chargers. I just hope they allow for future evolutions of USB types!
Michael Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 If they want to go a step further, why not standardise notebook chargers too? And why they're at it, why not mains plugs? How many times have you ordered some hardware, only to have it bundled with both UK and Euro plugs?
X-13 Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 How many times have you ordered some hardware, only to have it bundled with both UK and Euro plugs? We should set up a trade agreement with European schools. They can have our EU power cables, we'll take their UK ones. 1
Michael Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 (edited) We should set up a trade agreement with European schools. They can have our EU power cables, we'll take their UK ones. From a manufacturer point of view, it makes sense to have everything the same - less weight and less cost bundling two types of cable. These days most of Europe to my knowledge is 240v and most newer products are also earthed, so it's only the pin layout which is different. I think there already is a law/regulation that a proper native cable must be supplied and that adapters are not permitted - otherwise I suspect manufacturers would do this to save on weight and costs. Edited March 14, 2014 by Michael
featured_spectre Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 the plugs can be changed, but Europe uses a common 2 pin plug for the most part, and the UK uses the 3 pin. If anyone were to change, it would be us. Also, I can imagine "European" versions of Apple products going through the roof on the open market unless they change the entire product range (which will annoy people as they have to rebuy their adapters etc)
Michael Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Surely (logically) this will apply to new products moving forward, rather than old/existing products? Eventually everyone will in turn change their mobile.
zag Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Wonder what apple will do? They are just about the only company with a proprietary interface these days. Everyone else uses Micro USB
Achandler Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 I don't understand why new houses don't have those fancy everything plugs in them that you get in some hotels, which take, UK/ EU/ US/ Japanese plugs without adapters, get them everywhere then we can all plug anything in in any country, but that would be expensive to implement and to much common sense for msot.
AngryTechnician Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Wonder what apple will do? They are just about the only company with a proprietary interface these days. Everyone else uses Micro USB Last time I checked the agreement allowed for adapters. They will probably just make a micro USB (F) - Lightning (M) cable adapter (that only supplies power and no data, in all likelihood).
featured_spectre Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Cant do that, they need to provide an actual charging port, not a port with an adapter.
ZeroHour Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Last time I checked the agreement allowed for adapters. They will probably just make a micro USB (F) - Lightning (M) cable adapter (that only supplies power and no data, in all likelihood). Thats the current agreement, not this new one I *think* My biggest issue is the glacial pace this will be implemented, the landscape could be very very different in a few years when it actually comes into force holding things back. They should just make QI/wireless the standard all phones for example adopt in 5 years time. No problem with data and chargers can be everywhere and apple gets to use their own data connector if they want. Apple could be nice though and give their connector royalty free (its a very good port fyi) but I hold on to that hope alongside a lottery ticket and I think the jackpot has higher odds of success.
Dos_Box Posted March 14, 2014 Author Posted March 14, 2014 I don't understand why new houses don't have those fancy everything plugs in them that you get in some hotels, which take, UK/ EU/ US/ Japanese plugs without adapters, get them everywhere then we can all plug anything in in any country, but that would be expensive to implement and to much common sense for msot. Because I don't have an outlet on my kitchen table and all my other sockets are at floor level. That and the tedchnology will have moved on in a few years time and we'll all be living on the moon and using hover cars
localzuk Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Does this agreement mean "the entire thing, plug to phone" or does it mean "the charging device", in which case can we not standardise on chargers with USB sockets on them, and let phone manufacturers choose whatever USB->phone cable they want?
ZeroHour Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Does this agreement mean "the entire thing, plug to phone" or does it mean "the charging device", in which case can we not standardise on chargers with USB sockets on them, and let phone manufacturers choose whatever USB->phone cable they want? Currently every phone has to work with usb chargers (wall plug end) I believe, this would change the phone connector part I *think* which tbh will only really affect apple and any newly developed connectors in the future.
featured_spectre Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Think it means the plug to the phone. Most will still opt for the USB socket however I would have thought.
localzuk Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Currently every phone has to work with usb chargers (wall plug end) I believe, this would change the phone connector part I *think* which tbh will only really affect apple and any newly developed connectors in the future. Really think this would be a dumb move to be honest. Controlling what connectors a phone has can and will stifle innovation. If this had happened 5 years ago, things like HDMI output from phones wouldn't have been able to happen, as an example.
sonofsanta Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 I can't believe this has only just gone through. When they started talking about this, finding a charger actually was an issue - I think it was brought up before the first iPhone, for crying out loud. They finally get round to it and the market has more or less standardised on Micro-USB anyway. All the anti-Europe spiel going round these days winds me up, but tardy announcements like this don't really help, do they?
localzuk Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 I can't believe this has only just gone through. When they started talking about this, finding a charger actually was an issue - I think it was brought up before the first iPhone, for crying out loud. They finally get round to it and the market has more or less standardised on Micro-USB anyway. All the anti-Europe spiel going round these days winds me up, but tardy announcements like this don't really help, do they? The industry (except Apple) agreed to standardise voluntarily ages ago. This is just the EU now trying to codify it into law.
Garacesh Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Really think this would be a dumb move to be honest. Controlling what connectors a phone has can and will stifle innovation. If this had happened 5 years ago, things like HDMI output from phones wouldn't have been able to happen, as an example. I was thinking the same. Let's just say - for hypothetics - somebody makes a new kind of connector that charges faster, or somehow facilitates better rate of data transfer. Under this law, they can't actually use it unless they can incorporate it into a MicroUSB? Maybe - no matter what they do - this connector NEEDS to have a minimum of 7 pins. There's just no way - for whatever reason - they can drop it down to the 5 required by MicroUSB. What do?
featured_spectre Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 a secondary port, nobody is stopping anyone from having a secondary port at all. My phone could accommodate one with ease, as could an iphone.
Garacesh Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Not without making it bulkier and more expensive (Read: Less sellable/profitable) I would have thought "Is able to be converted into $standardConnector, and is supplied with an adaptor" would have been better.. But I guess they are trying to cut down on waste electronics, so that wouldn't have helped.
localzuk Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 (edited) a secondary port, nobody is stopping anyone from having a secondary port at all. My phone could accommodate one with ease, as could an iphone. Yeah, that means they then have to make changes to the phone itself, making it bigger or uglier. I would have thought "Is able to be converted into $standardConnector, and is supplied with an adaptor" would have been better.. But I guess they are trying to cut down on waste electronics, so that wouldn't have helped. How about a system where you don't actually get a 'charger' with the device at all. Instead, you get a connector akin to a universal laptop power supply adapter (you know the type - goes from something like a 2 pin to the actual connector on the laptop). The waste would be almost entirely eliminated then. And they can include their own data cable too. Edited March 14, 2014 by localzuk
Arthur Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 (edited) Let's just say - for hypothetics - somebody makes a new kind of connector that charges faster, or somehow facilitates better rate of data transfer. Under this law, they can't actually use it unless they can incorporate it into a MicroUSB? Someone is already making a new connector (USB Type-C) for smartphones, tablets and PCs. The USB 3.0 Promoter Group has began working on a next generation USB connection that will break compatibility with existing connections in order to help in its integration in our increasingly thin and light devices. The new connection will be thinner but of similar size to the existing USB 2.0 Micro-B connector, it will also be reversible and support scalable power charging. (Source) The existing Micro USB 2.0 & 3.0 ports are rubbish! Edited March 14, 2014 by Arthur
Bubbles Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 The industry (except Apple) agreed to standardise voluntarily ages ago. This is just the EU now trying to codify it into law. According to the article, Apple were one of the first to sign up? Apple has yet to respond to the proposals as it is one of the few manufacturers that produces gadgets with proprietary power ports. However, it was one of the original signatories of the agreement Europe reached with manufacturers to produce the chargers.
ZeroHour Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 I still think making wireless charging the standard. That way you never wonder again, you could then ignore the connector for data completely. It would also spur a lot of investment into making wireless less heavy (the coil) and faster. No cables to get caught up on and you could build charges into desks etc with a basic case (if in public) to prevent grab theft. Apple did agree to the terms only after they changed it not to mandate usb end on the phone.
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