The European Union parliament has passed a new law stating that all new smartphones, tablets and cameras will have a single standard charger, which will be implemented from late 2024. In the first phase, all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU will have to have a USB Type-C charging port. The rule will be extended to laptops from spring 2026.
The law was adopted on the back of the EU's efforts to reduce e-waste and empower consumers to make more sustainable choices. According to experts, the new rule will affect Apple the most, as it will have to change the charging port for iPhones and other devices in the EU. USB-C ports can charge up to 100 Watts, transfer data up to 40 GB per second, and can be linked to external displays.
The EU law will affect mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, portable speakers, handheld videogame consoles, e-readers, earbuds, keyboards, mice and portable navigation systems over the next two years. It will have an impact on Samsung, Huawei and other device makers, according to analysts.
The customers can now choose between two charges with and one without a USB-C charger while buying a device, according to the details.
EU policymakers advocate for a single charger rule, highlighting that it will simplify the life of Europeans, reduce the mountain of obsolete chargers and reduce costs for consumers.
According to the news reports, the rule can save more than 200 million pounds and cut more than a thousand tons of EU electronic waste every year, EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager said.
Apple is already using USB-C charging ports on its iPads and laptops, but it has tried resisting the legislation, as it would force it to change its Lightning ports on its iPhones. It had argued that the charger would be disproportionate and the technology would stifle innovation.
The European Union has 27 countries in its bloc and is home to 450 million people. Such a big regulatory change can disrupt global industry norms, which is known as the Brussels Effect.
In India, the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs has already written to industry players and other stakeholders about a plan to have one cable for charging all of your devices.
The concept of LiFE Lifestyle for the Environment, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN Climate Change Conference CoP 26 in Glasgow in November 2021, was cited by the ministry.