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Standard Cellphone Chargers For Europeans

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the those-lucky-bastards dept.

k33l0r writes "The European Commission is confident that all major cellphone companies have reached an agreement on a standard cellphone charger for consumers within the EU. 'People will not have to throw away their charger whenever they buy a new phone,' said EU Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen. Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Apple, LG, NEC, Qualcomm, Research in Motion, Samsung and Texas Instruments have all signed the agreement."

35 of 257 comments (clear)

  1. How about the damn US? by furby076 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Well this may carry over as a convenience to the US but I doubt it.(why have two plants making two different types of chargers when you can have one plant making one charger type). That why is Verizon & AT&T. They love locking people in, and since there are so many service carriers they do so with products (iPhone for one).

    Hopefully this will spread - but I doubt it.

    --

    I do not support "The Man". I also do not support your irrational stupidity
    1. Re:How about the damn US? by nine-times · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It's not too much of a lock-in. I can't imagine someone saying, "Man, I'd love to change carriers, but I just don't want to have to use a new charger (which comes with the free phone I'll get). I guess I'll stick with my current carrier!"

      I think it's more an issue of the carriers not caring, and the manufacturers using whatever charger is convenient and cheap for them at the time. Standardization is the sort of thing that benefits pretty much everyone over the long term, but can be a PITA for interested players at the time it's started up. So absent of some external impetus, it often just doesn't get started.

    2. Re:How about the damn US? by furby076 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It's not too much of a lock-in. I can't imagine someone saying, "Man, I'd love to change carriers, but I just don't want to have to use a new charger (which comes with the free phone I'll get). I guess I'll stick with my current carrier!"

      My phone came with one charger. I keep a charger at my desk at home (so i can be on my computer and not worry about charging). But I like to have my phone by the bed in case someone calls me - so i dont have to run to the living room (plus it is a secondary alarm for me). So I need to be an additional charger. Then I need one for work (blue-tooth kills phones)...that's two chargers. Then I need one for the car (blue-tooth again, plus i travel a lot)... that's three chargers. Now I also like to connect the device to my computer to transfer files...4th accessory. I would prefer if i could just swap.

      The carriers do care - a lot of the profit for the stores is accessories. They try and push this on you like candy. They buy the chargers for $2-$3 from the manufacturer and sell them for $15 to $25. That's a big profit margin. It's also why you can generally negotiate them. They get a ton of money for selling you phone/service. They are not willing to lose that money so they will give you the chargers.

      --

      I do not support "The Man". I also do not support your irrational stupidity
    3. Re:How about the damn US? by Laebshade · · Score: 3, Informative

      That's because Verizon locks their phones down big time. Since the phone detected a USB data connection, it refuses to charge.

    4. Re:How about the damn US? by Forge · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Where I live, it's the phone manufacturers that make money off chargers. I.e. A replacement charger for my Blackberry cost the equivalent of U$6 while one for a much cheaper Samsong cost U$15.

      The phone company itself would much prefer if the phones could be virtually free and if they didn't even need chargers at all. (Disclosure: I work for a mobile provider.) The providers make money off call credits and phone bills. Some (including my employer) provide phone instruments at subsidized prices in hopes that people will get hooked on talking to everyone else.

      --
      --= Isn't it surprising how badly I spell ?
    5. Re:How about the damn US? by cayenne8 · · Score: 3, Insightful
      "Then I need one for work (blue-tooth kills phones)."

      Why not just use the landline they provide you at work at your desk?

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    6. Re:How about the damn US? by MightyYar · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Why not just use the landline they provide you at work at your desk?

      Do you really think he doesn't have a reason? I mean, give the 2456 user ID some benefit of the doubt here...

      --
      W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  2. Micro by pete-classic · · Score: 4, Informative

    The story is incorrectly tagged miniusb. It's actually micro USB (which is an inferior connector, in my opinion) which is slightly smaller and lacks the "ears" of mini USB, which is what the Blackberry uses.

    -Peter

    1. Re:Micro by AlecC · · Score: 5, Informative

      The micro-USB is superior to the mini-USB in that the springs which provide the retaining force are on the cable side and not on the phone side. If the spring breaks, you throw away the cable/charger, not the phone.

      --
      Consciousness is an illusion caused by an excess of self consciousness.
  3. Douglas Adams would be delighted by blutfink · · Score: 4, Interesting

    http://douglasadams.com/dna/980707-03-a.html

  4. Batteries too... by zebslash · · Score: 3, Insightful

    That would be nice to have a standard for Li-ion batteries too, from mobile phones to shavers and laptops. This way, it would be easier to recycle and replace batteries, lower costs and remove vendor-specific locks. I like alkaline batteries: around 4-5 different formats to power most of our stuff. With Li-ion, we have gained in power and time, but lost in flexibility. Is that so difficult to implement ?

    1. Re:Batteries too... by russotto · · Score: 3, Informative

      That would be nice to have a standard for Li-ion batteries too, from mobile phones to shavers and laptops. This way, it would be easier to recycle and replace batteries, lower costs and remove vendor-specific locks. I like alkaline batteries: around 4-5 different formats to power most of our stuff. With Li-ion, we have gained in power and time, but lost in flexibility. Is that so difficult to implement ?

      Lithium ion cells are standardized. Rebuilding the batteries by opening the casing and replacing the cells is often possible. But lithium-polymer cells are a different story; in order to use every bit of space inside the battery or device, the cells are shaped to fit it. So it really IS difficult to implement.

  5. Re:So what's it gonna be? by furby076 · · Score: 5, Informative
    Maybe instead of just trying to get a first post in you read the damn article.

    The Commission said the agreement would involve the creation of an EU norm, and that the new generation of mobile phones would use a standard micro-USB socket to ensure compatibility.

    4th paragraph

    --

    I do not support "The Man". I also do not support your irrational stupidity
  6. Correction by rickb928 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    You mean the manufacturers will be able to make the charger an accessory.

    At additional cost^H^H^H^Hprofit.

    Saving the planet, one quarter's financial results at a time. I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy again, especially around my wallet.

    --
    deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
    1. Re:Correction by oneirophrenos · · Score: 3, Informative

      You mean the manufacturers will be able to make the charger an accessory.

      Well, isn't that a good thing? What would be the logic of this agreement if the companies just continued supplying chargers with each phone?

  7. Good! by zebslash · · Score: 3, Informative

    My girlfriend and me have both a Sony-Ericson phone, bought 3 years apart. Guess what ? Both chargers and connectors are proprietary, fragile, weird and different! Of course if you lose it you'll have to spend an arm to get a replacement.

    However this will only work if vendors give the option NOT to get a new charger with a new phone. Otherwise, this will not be really useful.

  8. Thanks EU regulation by slb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A good exemple that sometimes the market is unable to find the most optimal solution and someone has to regulate.

    --
    http://www.transparency.org
    1. Re:Thanks EU regulation by joebok · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Actually, the market IS working in the environment that exists - that it, it is taking full advantage of the fact that the cell phone charging industry does not bear the external cost of disposing of perfectly good chargers every time we get a new device. We need the regulation to push that external cost to be part of the product - then market forces will adjust.

      Rather than a universal charger designed by committee and consensus, I'd rather see regulation aimed directly at closing off the externality. Like maybe requiring cell phone companies to accept old charges back for a credit. Or not being allowed to package a charger along with the phone - make the consumer buy them separately. I think something along those lines would have the same effect, getting better, cheaper, and universal chargers with minimal overhead.

      But either way, I sure hope it spills over to the US - and to other devices. If I have a device that needs 5v, seems like I should only need a transformer of the proper rating - not a random connector as well.

    2. Re:Thanks EU regulation by teg · · Score: 4, Insightful

      A good exemple that sometimes the market is unable to find the most optimal solution and someone has to regulate.

      While I agree that some regulation is necessary - among other things to maintain healthy competition and free markets - they didn't actually regulate it. They hinted that they might, so the vendors found a solution themselves instead. A gentle, but firm, push in the right direction.

    3. Re:Thanks EU regulation by itsme1234 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The market at least in the EU had already pretty much standardised on USB charging.. every non-nokia phone I've had used it. Nokia of course had to be different, but there's only 2 nokia charging standards and adapters are readily available (and since ~70% of the phones you see around are Nokias, it's a sort of standard).

      What this does is codify what was already happening.

      In what world is this already happening?! We bought at the office recently two Nokia, two Sony-Ericsson and one Samsung. They are beyond craziness with respect to connectors.

      - both Nokias have the "standard Nokia" thin connector that doesn't comply to ANY reasonable electric standard so you can't just connect it directly to USB or any power supply of any reasonable parameters. Specifications here: http://www.forum.nokia.com/info/sw.nokia.com/id/3378ff2b-4016-42b9-9118-d59e4313a521/Nokia_2-mm_DC_Charging_Interface_Specification_v1_2_en.pdf.html
      - one Nokia HAS a standard mini (or micro?) USB connector but it won't charge over it
      - the other Nokia has a USB connector that LOOKS like mini but it doesn't fit anything but a specific Nokia cable. It still doesn't charge over it
      - both S-E are equally crazy. You need to connect the headphones to the bottom of the phone via a proprietary connector! This is where power and USB cable also go! Still they would charge over USB but you need the proprietary cable and you need to have the proper drivers in the OS (yes, to charge). Because everything connects there you have interesting combinations like you can't charge when listening to the headphones or you can't listen to the radio while charging (because radio needs the headphones plugged in for antenna)
      - Samsung has some kind of crazy flat connector, did not take a close look but certainly not USB of any kind
      - for S-E and Samsung the old chargers don't fit the new phones.

      I see this as a BIG MOVE for Europe.

  9. Re:So what's it gonna be? by furby076 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hahaha. You must be new here.

    ;) Just sometimes feel like an old man holding out for an ideal age where people read the article (or at least admit they didn't). Then again I still hold out for the day skittles will pop sunshine out of my ass.

    --

    I do not support "The Man". I also do not support your irrational stupidity
  10. So... by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Any word on whether or not they'll be adding a cryptographic handshake that will lock the chargers down harder than connector swapping ever did?

    They could even adopt a wireless commerce model: "The charger you have connected is not an official 'Motorola by Verizon' brand charger. Press 'OK' to activate the charger for a payment of $29.95 or purchase an official charger." With cellphone location services, you could even do location based selective lockouts! "I'm sorry, your charger is authorized for home use only. Please subscribe to our 'Home and Business' charger plan or, for travellers, 'National Omnicharge Premium' for just $19.95 a month."

    Ah, evil.

  11. Everonmentalism I can agree with by alta · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'm no environ-nut. I don't bend over backwards to save the earth. But I do make a change when something 'makes sense.'

    A prius? Value isn't there. High up-front costs, low performance. I think not.

    E-85? Lower energy output than gasoline. Starving people that depend on Corn. Did you know that last year the Mexicans had a shortage of corn products. Do you know they use a LOT more corn than we (US-IANS) do .Glad we're past that.

    On the other hand:
    CFL - A time and a place. I leave our front porch lights on at night, and a few others for security. I put in CFLs to save a little money. They run all night and I don't need them instantly, so the warm up time doesn't bother me. I tried them in a closet... No way. I'm done in the closet before they warm up. They make all of my clothes look blue so I can't figure out which pants are which. And I'll be damned if I ever put them in the kids room. HIGH chance of broken bulb. Mercury/Carpet/Kids don't mix.

    LED bulbs... I can't wait (till they're under $5.) Instant-on, LOW wattage, user-selectable colors. The US may as well skip mandating CFL because LED is where we're going.

    Other Hybrids... Before long, NASCAR is going to see that there's some way to make this hybrid stuff make cars go faster and farther without a pit-stop... There are four industries here that drive new tech for the consumer. Military, NASA, Nascar and pr0n.

    And all my devices on the same plug? GREAT. Less waste will hopefully mean less cost for me. Sure the manufacturers are going to eat most of that money as profit. But, if it means that I don't have to worry about buying a $30 car charger from ATT, I can just use a generic one for $5. Plus I can have a charger in the car, a charger at home and one at the office. I'll never have to worry about being without my iPhone cable again. At a neighbor's house? Good, their's is the same.

    --
    Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
    1. Re:Everonmentalism I can agree with by alta · · Score: 3, Informative

      http://venturebeat.com/2007/01/15/ethanol-use-causing-corn-shortages-spiking-price-price-of-tortillas/

      Well, I haven't done the direct research myself, I just know what I've read.

      http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-07-10-ethanol-study_x.htm

      http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119258870811261613.html
      http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/05/business/05ethanol.html
      http://www.heartland.org/policybot/results/20947/Biotech_to_Ease_EthanolRelated_Corn_Shortage.html

      And to further your argument (again, I'm more interested in the truth than being right)
      http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/may/10/ethanol-as-cause-of-food-crisis-flat-out-wrong/
      http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f81/definitive-proof-ethanol-not-creating-food-corn-shortage-61448/

      --
      Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
  12. Re:Good, I guess... by furby076 · · Score: 3, Informative

    I take it that Apple isn't part of this little bandwagon.

    L2RTFA. They agreed to it.

    --

    I do not support "The Man". I also do not support your irrational stupidity
  13. The original post by buchner.johannes · · Score: 3, Informative

    press release and a memo.

    Most interesting parts:

    Incompatibility of chargers for mobile phones is a major inconvenience for users and also leads to unnecessary waste. Therefore, the Commission has requested industry to come forward with a voluntary commitment to solve this problem so as to avoid legislation.

    and

    Industry commits to provide chargers compatibility on the basis of the Micro-USB connector. Once the commitment becomes effective, it will be possible to charge data-enabled mobile phones from any charger compatible with the common specifications.

    --
    NB: The message above might reflect my opinion right now, but not necessarily tomorrow or next year.
  14. Mini-USB Lockin, there are ways by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    My Motorola phone has a standard mini-usb connector but you STILL can't use it with standard charger. Why? "Un authorized charger".

    From what I've pieced together it has a chip in it to fake that it is connected to a computer. This is a double edged sword of uselessness

    1) I can't use my Garmin charger with my phone because it's "un authorized" and won't charge.
    2) I can't use my Motorola charger with my Garmin because Garmin puts itself into PC mode (instead of navigation mode).

    So now I have to carry 2 - 12V -> USB devices with me because of Motorola.

    Trust me, keep an eye out for the buzz words "authentic" "valid" "safe" "genuine".

  15. Re:So what's it gonna be? by Forge · · Score: 4, Informative

    RTFA
    It will be Mini-USB. However there are 2 issues still to clarify.

    1. Will the phone be required to charge at the standard voltages delivered by a PC USB port? I would hate to see that BS achieved by Motorola, where you can only charge on a PC if the Motorola Charger is installed. I would prefer if everyone else has to change to match Blackberry. If my Blackberry runs low in the data center I can just plug into any exposed USB port on a powered up server. . A Dell waiting at the BIOS screen or a SUN in full production.

    2. Will this be coordinated with the Chinese standard? If both the EU and China agree on a standard, India and Japan can be convinced to adopt it. Leaving America to figure out which direction it wants to go.

    --
    --= Isn't it surprising how badly I spell ?
  16. Re:Apple? by Tony+Hoyle · · Score: 3, Informative

    The dock connector already accepts USB charging.. they just need to produce an adapter cable - which knowing apple will be an optional accessory costing arm+leg.

  17. With regard to the iPhone by Midnight+Thunder · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Apple indicates while it won't drop its connector, it will enable adaptors to be made:

    http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/apple-won-t-drop-dock-connector-for-micro-usb-612103

    Considering that it already connects to USB sockets, then all that is needed is a USB - micro-USB adaptor.

    The only question is whether USB power plugs will be made 'smarter', since there are still some that won't charge certain telephones for what ever reason.

    --
    Jumpstart the tartan drive.
  18. Micro is superior for this use... by nweaver · · Score: 4, Informative

    MiniUSB is rated for 1000 connect/disconnect cycles

    MicroUSB is rated for 10,000 connect/disconnect cycles, and is also thinner by about 1.5mm (critical on modern thin devices).

    Given the power consumption on some smartphones, having the more durable connector is IMO, essential.

    --
    Test your net with Netalyzr
  19. Why stop at phones? by dfxm · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I like that my PS3 controller uses mini USB for charging. I can even charge it right from my MacBook! There are a lot of things that can be recharged, and as things get more wireless, it's going to become more important.

  20. Three cheers for government regulation! by quax · · Score: 4, Funny

    C'mon market fetishist mod me down!

  21. Part of the USB Spec by pavon · · Score: 4, Informative

    This is part of the USB spec. Originally USB hosts were only required to provide a certain amount of current to devices. Later they decided to increase this, but to provide backwards compatibility the device has to ask if the host is capable of sourcing that much current before it starts drawing it.

  22. Re:How does this Ensure Compatibility? by Andy+Dodd · · Score: 3, Informative

    Not enough detail in the article, but most likely by following the USB Battery Charging Specification. (Which was, unfortunately, released long after numerous "de facto" standards for signaling dumb chargers became prolific, most of which involve tying mini-USB pin 4 to ground with varying amounts of resistance. This can't be done in micro-USB, as micro-USB has specified meaning for pin 4.)

    Does your Pre draw 1000 mA from a computer, or from a "dumb charger" that signals itself as such?

    --
    retrorocket.o not found, launch anyway?