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A Common Charger for All Phones? The European Union Is on the Case | A Common Charger for All Phones? The European Union Is on the Case |
(about 11 hours later) | |
LONDON — The European Union wants to make it easier to charge your cellphone and other devices. | LONDON — The European Union wants to make it easier to charge your cellphone and other devices. |
This week, members of the European Parliament held a hearing on a measure to require smartphone makers to produce a common charger for all mobile and portable devices sold in the region, including tablets, e-readers and digital cameras. | This week, members of the European Parliament held a hearing on a measure to require smartphone makers to produce a common charger for all mobile and portable devices sold in the region, including tablets, e-readers and digital cameras. |
The goal: no more frustration at borrowing a friend’s charger only to find it has a Lightning connector when you need a USB-C. | The goal: no more frustration at borrowing a friend’s charger only to find it has a Lightning connector when you need a USB-C. |
The proposal has been promoted not only as a matter of convenience, but also as a way to reduce electronic waste. Chargers have been estimated to produce more than 51,000 metric tons of waste annually in the European Union. | The proposal has been promoted not only as a matter of convenience, but also as a way to reduce electronic waste. Chargers have been estimated to produce more than 51,000 metric tons of waste annually in the European Union. |
“We are drowning in an ocean of electronic waste,” said Roza Thun, a member of the European Parliament from Poland. “Demand grows and with it waste and exploitation of natural resources.” | “We are drowning in an ocean of electronic waste,” said Roza Thun, a member of the European Parliament from Poland. “Demand grows and with it waste and exploitation of natural resources.” |
Officials also say that a common kind of charger would reduce consumers’ cost because devices could be sold without a dedicated charger. | Officials also say that a common kind of charger would reduce consumers’ cost because devices could be sold without a dedicated charger. |
This is not the first time the European Union has tackled this topic. This week’s effort was the third attempt to untangle charging devices in more than a decade. | This is not the first time the European Union has tackled this topic. This week’s effort was the third attempt to untangle charging devices in more than a decade. |
In 2009, when there were more than 30 different chargers on the market, the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, reached a voluntary agreement with industry giants like Apple, Samsung and Nokia to introduce a smartphone charger that fit all models. | |
But the agreement expired in 2014, and the device makers went their separate ways. | But the agreement expired in 2014, and the device makers went their separate ways. |
Lawmakers then introduced a similar effort to re-establish a voluntary standard for a single charging port for all smartphones. But that initiative was never adopted, in part because it failed to guarantee interoperability between devices such as speakers and keyboards with smartphones. | Lawmakers then introduced a similar effort to re-establish a voluntary standard for a single charging port for all smartphones. But that initiative was never adopted, in part because it failed to guarantee interoperability between devices such as speakers and keyboards with smartphones. |
There are now three major types of charging plugs, according to the European Consumer Organization, which backs the effort to standardize chargers: USB 2.0 Micro B, USB-C and Apple’s Lightning. | There are now three major types of charging plugs, according to the European Consumer Organization, which backs the effort to standardize chargers: USB 2.0 Micro B, USB-C and Apple’s Lightning. |
Apple previously objected to the European Union’s proposal. A year ago, the company argued that a single standard would “freeze innovation rather than encourage it.” A new charger standard would make current chargers obsolete, it added, which is “bad for the environment and unnecessarily disruptive for customers.” | Apple previously objected to the European Union’s proposal. A year ago, the company argued that a single standard would “freeze innovation rather than encourage it.” A new charger standard would make current chargers obsolete, it added, which is “bad for the environment and unnecessarily disruptive for customers.” |
At the hearing on Monday, members of the European Parliament lamented the failure to legislate a universal charger, raising environmental concerns and blaming industry for thwarting measures. | At the hearing on Monday, members of the European Parliament lamented the failure to legislate a universal charger, raising environmental concerns and blaming industry for thwarting measures. |
Others pointed to the potential cost benefits of a common charger standard. | Others pointed to the potential cost benefits of a common charger standard. |
“This would allow consumers to get a better deal and to cut waste at the same time,” said Dita Charanzova of the Czech Republic. | “This would allow consumers to get a better deal and to cut waste at the same time,” said Dita Charanzova of the Czech Republic. |
The European Commission is scheduled to publish a study in the coming weeks to deliberate the next legislative steps. | The European Commission is scheduled to publish a study in the coming weeks to deliberate the next legislative steps. |
But device makers may eventually decide the issue before the legislators do. Each year, an increasing number of phones arrive on the market with another option: wireless charging. | But device makers may eventually decide the issue before the legislators do. Each year, an increasing number of phones arrive on the market with another option: wireless charging. |