According to a provisional European Union deal reached on Tuesday, all smartphones and tablets must use the same charger.
Negotiators said that the plan would compel all companies, including Apple Inc., to use the USB-C charger in phones, tablets, e-readers, and digital cameras. The scope includes over 15 different product categories, such as headsets, video gaming consoles, and headphones.
According to the European Commission, the plan, which was announced last year, will save customers an estimated 250 million euros ($267 million) each year. The agreement must be approved by the European Parliament and 27 EU countries.
By the fall of 2024, phone and tablet manufacturers will have to comply. Laptop manufacturers will have extra time to make the transition, with negotiators granting them 40 months after the new rules take effect.
Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said in a statement that “a single charger is basic sense for the myriad electronic devices in our everyday life.” “European consumers will be able to charge all of their portable electronics with a single charger, which is a significant step toward increasing convenience and reducing waste.”
Apple was initially enraged by the plan, claiming that it would stifle innovation. However, Apple is presently testing future iPhone models that will ditch the Lightning charging port in favour of the more widely used USB-C connector. The USB-C charger is already in use on current Apple laptop models.
According to Alex Agius Saliba, the senior negotiator for the European Parliament, the commission will be able to set standards for wireless charging in the future since the EU does not want to “end up in a position where we would be legislating for a market that is effectively dying out.”
- Misleading Video Alters Prime Minister Shehbaz’s Speech Targeting Political Rival, Not His Party - 21/04/2024
- ATC Grants Three-Day Remand for Suspects in Ichhra Bazaar Harassment Case - 19/03/2024
- Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh Lead World in Severe Smog Crisis, Exceeding WHO Guidelines - 19/03/2024
