Dev.SN

European MEPs Back Single Charger Standard

posted by Dopefish on Saturday March 15 2014, @08:12AM   
from the one-plug-to-rule-them-all dept.

lhsi writes "Members of the European Parliament have backed a regulation for all smartphone devices to use a standardized charger, a Micro USB connector being the favored type (and one that is in use already).

The regulation is still only a draft law and must be approved by Europe's council of ministers. However, that body has already given its informal backing to the law, suggesting it will win final approval.

European member states will have until 2016 to translate the regulation into national laws and manufacturers will then have 12 months to switch to the new design

The reason for this regulation is both to help consumers and to cut down on electronic waste (51,000 tonnes annually)."

• Re:In principle good, but... (Score: 2) by mojo chan on Monday March 17 2014, @10:15AM

  by mojo chan (266) on Monday March 17 2014, @10:15AM (#17597)

  Fortunately the EU is better at writing rules than you assume. They are not mandating any particular USB connector, just one that is part of that or any future USB standards. For practical reasons most manufacturers will use micro USB, but they could chose full size USB if they wanted to. When the next generation of USB connectors come along they will also be acceptable. The most important aspect is not the connector though, it is the charging current negotiation.

  Apple devices won't charge at full rate unless they detect an Apple charger. Other manufacturers check what the charger says is available and then use voltage monitoring to determine the real maximum rate if the charger declines to give a specific number. It's a simple and if not ideal at least well established and tested system.

  --
  const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)

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