EU agrees to single mobile charging port

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#2924232 9-Jun-2022 13:00

RunningMan:

In summary, everything has to have USB-C. I can see both sides of this. Standardisation makes things easier and probably cheaper for the consumer, but does it stifle innovation?

fair point, but my view is that it won't. if there is a problem (in this case, when the limitations of the current prevailing/mandated standard are exposed), there will always be engineering teams tasked to come up with a solution.

also, none of the big players in mobile phones are based in europe, and the european market is neither the largest nor the fastest growing.

Behodar

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#2924237 9-Jun-2022 13:08

I just realised that this'll probably require iPhone users to buy new chargers/cables too. For example:

A few years ago I bought an iPhone, which came with a USB-A charger and a USB-A to Lightning cable.
Early this year I replaced that phone. Apple no longer includes a charger, but it did come with a USB-C to Lightning cable. That remained in the box, unused, and I connected my old charger and cable.
Next time, the new phone will have USB-C and will presumably have a USB-C to USB-C cable and no charger. I'd need to either buy a new charger, or a USB-A to USB-C cable, as Apple probably won't want to include an 'old' USB-A cable in the box.

I certainly won't be the only customer in this situation!

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#2924256 9-Jun-2022 13:59

Behodar:

Next time, the new phone will have USB-C and will presumably have a USB-C to USB-C cable and no charger. I'd need to either buy a new charger, or a USB-A to USB-C cable, as Apple probably won't want to include an 'old' USB-A cable in the box.
I certainly won't be the only customer in this situation!

Or just get a $10 adapter, - ( sure its a grudge purchase) but there are plenty out there, and I'm sure AliEx is also crawling with them...

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/ADPCXT5103/Cruxtec-USB-C-Female-to-USB-A-Male-Adapter?qr=GShopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIu_ON-qGf-AIViXwrCh0B1wX7EAQYASABEgKsVPD_BwE

shk292

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#2924363 9-Jun-2022 16:10

RunningMan:

Not looking from an apple perspective, more stifling any development of something better

Why do we need something better? USB-C is good enough for any peripheral connectivity and will probably gradually disappear in favour of wireless charging and connections. Apple wanting to hang on to a proprietary connector just causes expense for the consumer.

As to the point about the consumer being able to choose - well they can't do that anyway. I can't walk into a shop and buy an iPhone with USB-C or a camera with Lightning, so with the inevitable mix of Apple and other phones, every house/car/boat needs a mixture of charging cables.

richms

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#2924369 9-Jun-2022 16:34

Will this also mean that Apple start to charge their phones quickly? Laughable how slow they are compared to other phones.

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RunningMan

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#2924370 9-Jun-2022 16:36

shk292: Why do we need something better? USB-C is good enough for any peripheral connectivity and will probably gradually disappear in favour of wireless charging and connections. Apple wanting to hang on to a proprietary connector just causes expense for the consumer.

A few years ago people would have asked why do we need something better than RS232 over a DB9 connector. Because technology moves on, and what is perfectly adequete in every respect today is no longer good enough tommorrow. USB-C may be good enough for any current peripheral connectivity, but the mandate doesn't just apply to peripherals, nor does it account for new products thet may need something different. We don't know what portable tech will come along in the next 10 years.

Not sure why people keep refering to Apple hanging on to a proprietary connector - it's the EU hanging on to it. As for wireless charging, it seems that's the next thing in their sights. Despite the media reports, I don't think this is about lightning vs USB-C - Apple already have plenty of USB-C products, and have had for some years - it's about whether it's appropriate for a specific interface to be mandated on all portable products.

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Behodar

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#2924372 9-Jun-2022 16:39

KiwiSurfer:

Citation needed. I think the non-deployment of UMTS 900 was more a commercial decision by the UK operators rather than regulatory pressures from the EU.

https://ihsmarkit.com/country-industry-forecasting.html?id=106595266

"The European Union (EU) has voted to free up the bandwidth, currently reserved for 2G GSM use..."

It seems that the ruling change actually happened a year or so before I visited, but would still explain a few things.

richms

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#2924373 9-Jun-2022 16:41

RunningMan:

shk292: Why do we need something better? USB-C is good enough for any peripheral connectivity and will probably gradually disappear in favour of wireless charging and connections. Apple wanting to hang on to a proprietary connector just causes expense for the consumer.

A few years ago people would have asked why do we need something better than RS232 over a DB9 connector. Because technology moves on, and what is perfectly adequete in every respect today is no longer good enough tommorrow. USB-C may be good enough for any current peripheral connectivity, but the mandate doesn't just apply to peripherals, nor does it account for new products thet may need something different. We don't know what portable tech will come along in the next 10 years.

Not sure why people keep refering to Apple hanging on to a proprietary connector - it's the EU hanging on to it. As for wireless charging, it seems that's the next thing in their sights. Despite the media reports, I don't think this is about lightning vs USB-C - Apple already have plenty of USB-C products, and have had for some years - it's about whether it's appropriate for a specific interface to be mandated on all portable products.

Every country already mandates the connection for mains voltage stuff, so why does it matter that they are doing that for low voltage equipment?

USB for charging scales to at least 120 watts at the moment, there are proprietary things that go higher than that if needed over the connector. It has the ability to check the cables capability so there is considerable room for expansion of its capabilities.

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shk292

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#2924374 9-Jun-2022 16:42

RunningMan:

A few years ago people would have asked why do we need something better than RS232 over a DB9 connector. Because technology moves on, and what is perfectly adequete in every respect today is no longer good enough tommorrow. USB-C may be good enough for any current peripheral connectivity, but the mandate doesn't just apply to peripherals, nor does it account for new products thet may need something different. We don't know what portable tech will come along in the next 10 years.

Not sure why people keep refering to Apple hanging on to a proprietary connector - it's the EU hanging on to it. As for wireless charging, it seems that's the next thing in their sights. Despite the media reports, I don't think this is about lightning vs USB-C - Apple already have plenty of USB-C products, and have had for some years - it's about whether it's appropriate for a specific interface to be mandated on all portable products.

I'm sure that innovation will continue and that the next generation of USB or other peripheral interface will emerge to meet requirements in due course.

I don't understand what you mean about EU hanging on to a proprietary connector - are you saying that the EU directed Apple to use Lightning in phones and USB-C in tablets?

I've recently changed from using (work supplied) iPhone and iPad, made by the same company, to Android phone and tablet, made by different companies. I now have to carry only one type of lead, compared to two; to me, that's a good thing

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#2924378 9-Jun-2022 16:46

richms: Every country already mandates the connection for mains voltage stuff, so why does it matter that they are doing that for low voltage equipment?

It's not exactly the same, as the mains connection is mandated at the wall end, not the appliance end. Voltage differences aside, they can just swap out a cable for different countries.

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#2924434 9-Jun-2022 19:09

shk292: I don't understand what you mean about EU hanging on to a proprietary connector - are you saying that the EU directed Apple to use Lightning in phones and USB-C in tablets?

The EU has mandated the use of USB-C as the connector on all portable devices, therefore making companies hang on to it, perhaps longer than needed but time will tell. There's nothing directing the use of lightning.

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shk292

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#2924443 9-Jun-2022 20:02

RunningMan:

The EU has mandated the use of USB-C as the connector on all portable devices, therefore making companies hang on to it, perhaps longer than needed but time will tell. There's nothing directing the use of lightning.

Understood - and I think EU have done the right thing. Basically it seems to be:

Apple - we want to use USB-C on tablets and our unique proprietary connector on phones. So people have to carry two leads

EU - no, use USB-C on everything so they only have to carry one. And it's the same one as their non-Apple family members

RunningMan

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#2924446 9-Jun-2022 20:15

@shk292 no, you've missed my point entirely. Forget Apple. Pretend they don't exist. Apple is not relevant to the point I am trying to convey.

EU have mandated the use of a connector. That connector is perfectly fine for all current uses. But will that mandate stifle future innovation (of either some currently unheard of product, or a new connector) because manufacturers are locked in to using what at some stage will be outdated technology.

Basically, it's potentially a short sighted solution in the long term. We won't know for some time yet.

shk292

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#2924502 9-Jun-2022 22:41

RunningMan:
@shk292 no, you've missed my point entirely. Forget Apple. Pretend they don't exist. Apple is not relevant to the point I am trying to convey.

EU have mandated the use of a connector. That connector is perfectly fine for all current uses. But will that mandate stifle future innovation (of either some currently unheard of product, or a new connector) because manufacturers are locked in to using what at some stage will be outdated technology.

Basically, it's potentially a short sighted solution in the long term. We won't know for some time yet.

Agreed, it's potentially short sighted and may limit innovation, but in my opinion and evidently the EU's, the real world benefits outweigh the potential downside. You can pretend Apple doesn't exist and doesn't cause a problem, but in the real world they do and the EU are trying to fix that for their members. The reason Apple are significant in this debate is because every single other phone uses USB-C.
Maybe in five or ten years there will be an amazing new interface standard available and the manufacturers will lobby the EU to adopt it. In the meantime, the proliferation of cables will hopefully be reduced

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#2924530 10-Jun-2022 00:53

FineWine:
Isn't WireLess Charging/Connectivity meant to be the next 'Bee-All-End-All' thing ??

Therefore the above is mute!

Moot

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