EU Votes For Universal Phone Charger

SmartAboutThings writes "The European Union has voted in favor of a draft legislation which lists among the 'essential requirements' of electrical devices approved by the EU a compatibility with 'universal' chargers. According to a German MEP, this move will eliminate 51,000 tonnes of electronic waste. The draft law was approved by an overwhelming majority: 550 votes to 12. At the moment, according to estimates, there are around 30 different types of charger on the market, but manufacturers have two years at their disposal to get ready for the new restriction."

Comments

Someone is against this?

[rujasu]

"This is a backwards step because imposing a single charger stifles innovation, curbs research, and may impose extra costs on the consumer. The alternative and better action is to encourage diversity, competition and greater development..."

Seriously? How much "diversity" and "innovation" do you need in terms of a charger?

Re:Someone is against this?

[Wookact]

The micro use on my phone has been used well more then hundreds of times, and shows no signs of failing.

Re:Someone is against this?

[Firethorn]

Well, consider electric cars for a moment.

What happens when you mandate a single charger suitable for vehicles like the Leaf, then you have Tesla attempting to produce a long-range vehicle? The 'superchargers' that Tesla is building overpowers most 'fast chargers' out there by a substantial amount.

Do you mandate that all chargers reach the Tesla's level, or do you cripple Tesla?

Honestly, with the larger tablets I wonder if 12V might not be a better voltage for them.

Re:Someone is against this?

[lgw]

Any cable that has any sort of orientation required to plug in is a crap standard and needs to die. All connectors need to be barrel or minjack style connectors, that are easy to plug in blind.

Re:apparently

[Archangel Michael]

No. He is. They are just his kind of clowns, so they don't look funny to him. That is the only difference.

Re:This is what the EU is for

[Anonymous Coward]

This is what the European Union really does - they set standards so stuff works all over Europe, across borders and across vendors. Like GSM phones. In the past, over 20 years they moved the 220V and 240V countries to 230V. That was completed in 2003. Trying to get the whole EU to use the same AC power plug, though, was not successful.

So when will the Europoean Union mandate a single spoken language and that all cars must drive on the same side of the road?

Re:Gubbamints...

[RightSaidFred99]

BS. Android phones would use USB charging anyway, it's the cheapest path.

Why standards?

[Valdrax]

Why do they think this is a matter for governments to decide?

Same reason each country has a standard railroad track, a standard power outlet, etc. Letting industries decide on mutually incompatible standards largely serves to lock in consumers and also creates great inefficiencies in the economy due to incompatbility. Standardization would allow business like cafes & airports to offer charging solutions that fit all their customers, and it would produce less physical waste.