European Commission Set to Adopt Universal Micro-USB Smartphone Charging Standard in January

[DTphonehome]

Best and easiest solution would be to add a micro-USB connector near the dock connector. The micro-USB can be limited to charging, while the dock connector does what it usually does.

They comply with EU regs, and don't have to alter the dock connector and its millions of accessories.

 

[Eraserhead]

It is silly and unnecessary. Who was demanding this change?

Consumers who don't want to have hundreds of new chargers every time they get a new phone.

 

[w00t951]

Positive+Negative

1) Since all iPhones and iPods and iPads use the same 30-pin connector, the EU will most likely let Apple release an adapter. Other companies just don't have enough customers to say that one of their connectors are standard. Apple's 30 pin is so widespread that it has practically become a standard, as evidenced by the massive accessory industry that has cropped up just for the iPhone's dock connector.

2) For most of the EU's citizens, this will mean the end of finding the right kind of dock connector. However, I don't see that all adapters will be compatible with all phones, as voltage requirements are different. For example, certain iPhone wall chargers don't work with the iPad because they don't provide enough power.

3) Won't this mean a huge redesign for some companies? Some, like Samsung, use 5 or so dock designs and replacing them all with one standard design may increase the price of the phone considerably.

4) From my experiences, Micro-USB is an unreliable, buggy, and slow method of data transfer. I have had multiple smartphones get bricked during a firmware update because static electricity screwed with the connector. Also, phones are prone to falling off their USB connectors which become loose after a few months. Apple's 30-pin design seems to be very stable and resistant to environmental change.

5) Why does it seem as though Europe/the rest of the world is constantly trying to cram standards and treaties down our throats?

 

[Veri]

So you'll be able to get a no-name one from China for $1 or so.

Given that the power supply is the most dangerous part of any device, and the part most likely to damage everything connected to it, this would be a bad idea.

Won't stop people doing it though. And then they'll wonder why hardware lasts for even less time than it already doesn't, shrug, throw it away and buy a new shiny anyway. Thus worsening the environmental problem this was supposed to fix.

timeo europeos et dona ferentes, etc.

 

[DTphonehome]

This is a stupid standard.

Thanks Europe. Just make handset manufacturers be required to include a charging cable with their device. This is just dumb and stifles the ability for phones to do more with their charging ports like Apple does.

It is silly and unnecessary. Who was demanding this change?

The idea is that you don't have to throw out your old proprietary cable when you get a new phone. Good for the environment, good for phone manufacturers (don't have to supply and ship a charger with the phone), and good for consumers (cheaper phones).

There is NO restriction on what you can do with the charging port, as the standard only states that the phone must be able to charge off of micro-USB. Any other functions can be built into an additional proprietary port, or just incorporated over the micro-USB spec, the functionality of which really is limitless.

 

[Small White Car]

So you'll be able to get a no-name one from China for $1 or so.

Wow, that's sure a ton better than the $3 iPhone cables I have to buy now. That's, like, a 66% saving!

 

[grapemac]

I generally don't care. It's a drop in the ocean compared the massive amounts of waste we commit on a daily basis elsewhere in society. This kind of feel-good crap is akin to a serial killer patting himself on the back because he dropped some loose change into the "feed the children" jug at the gas station.

So we may as well do **** all about any of our waste. Yeah!

 

[Eraserhead]

Given that the power supply is the most dangerous part of any device, and the part most likely to damage everything connected to it, this would be a bad idea.

Not really, as per other EU rules they'll have to comply to certain minimum safety standards in order to be sold in the EU. So they'll be fine.

Wow, that's sure a ton better than the $3 iPhone cables I have to buy now. That's, like, a 66% saving!

If you had a phone which didn't have an adapter which is on 200 million + devices you wouldn't get such a good deal...

 

[Cromulent]

Not really, as per other EU rules they'll have to comply to certain minimum safety standards in order to be sold in the EU. So they'll be fine.

My God! Its like they thought of everything!

 

[Eraserhead]

My God! Its like they thought of everything!

****ing communists, always getting everything right.

 

[Cromulent]

****ing communists, always getting everything right.

Ha!

 

[nascimento]

I'm sorry, but this comment is ridiculous. Fortunately, there seems to be no danger that you'll ever make it to Brussels.

Do you get your information from some Daily Tabloid For Dummies? MEPs are elected. The officials and bureaucrats are selected from very strong international competition. That whole banana measuring story is so embarrassing and overdone that you should never mention it again, unless you are in very rough company or with a bunch of Little Englanders.

Kern, it was a gross representation of what really happens. I have a couple of businesses of my own and I know what comes out of Brussels as I have to deal with it every day of my life.

The EU is stifling all but the huge conglomerates with ridiculous exaggerations of what they call Law. They are stifling innovation, they are killing anything that has a hint of traditional and they are killing small businesses. Everything has to be aseptic, grey with plenty of paperwork to justify some extra jobs. AH and plenty of supervisors to supervise the supervisors, at the expense of the businesses of course.

There are always exceptions but I think most members of parliament up to now (although lately they are being taken a bit more seriously) were there not by merit but as a sort of thank-you “here is a cushy job” from their respective parties. Either that or the party that elected them did not know what to do with them and dutifully dispatched them to Brussels.

The fact is that most people in the EU don’t know who represents them in Brussels. I would love to see some more ACCOUNTABILITY. I would love to see some more investigative journalism looking through all the expenses of the members of parliament.

I am sure that we, the tax payers of Europe, would all be surprised

(and sorry to the forum as this has nothing to do with the subject)

 

[DTphonehome]

1) Since all iPhones and iPods and iPads use the same 30-pin connector, the EU will most likely let Apple release an adapter. Other companies just don't have enough customers to say that one of their connectors are standard. Apple's 30 pin is so widespread that it has practically become a standard, as evidenced by the massive accessory industry that has cropped up just for the iPhone's dock connector.

Sigh.

2) For most of the EU's citizens, this will mean the end of finding the right kind of dock connector. However, I don't see that all adapters will be compatible with all phones, as voltage requirements are different. For example, certain iPhone wall chargers don't work with the iPad because they don't provide enough power.

Micro-USB can carry as much power as any device can possibly need. If it needs any more, it can use a proprietary connector somewhere else on the device.

3) Won't this mean a huge redesign for some companies? Some, like Samsung, use 5 or so dock designs and replacing them all with one standard design may increase the price of the phone considerably.

In your example, Samsung would SAVE money by going with only one connector. They don't have to have design and stock multiple cable designs.

4) From my experiences, Micro-USB is an unreliable, buggy, and slow method of data transfer. I have had multiple smartphones get bricked during a firmware update because static electricity screwed with the connector. Also, phones are prone to falling off their USB connectors which become loose after a few months. Apple's 30-pin design seems to be very stable and resistant to environmental change.

Micro-USB is electrically the exact same thing as plain old USB (which works just fine for pretty much everyone and everything). So any problems you are having are your own, not a problem with the connection.

Also, Micro-USB is rated for about 20,000 connect/disconnects. So if you charge your phone 5x per day (!), it'll last for almost 11 years.

5) Why does it seem as though Europe/the rest of the world is constantly trying to cram standards and treaties down our throats?

Europe is doing what's best for Europe. They aren't telling the US to do ANYTHING. The manufacturers will probably settle on the EU standard for the whole world due to economies of scale. If you don't like it take it up with the OEMs. Anyway, what's wrong with standards? Would you like it if every state in the US had their own power outlet style?

(I say this as an American, btw)

 

[slattery69]

i think its a good idea from a personal point of view. when i go away on business with work i have to take 3 chargers with me one for my works phone, one for my personal phone and one for my ipod. in future ill just have to take one charger
selfish reason i know but will work better for me

 

[Eraserhead]

Kern, it was a gross representation of what really happens. I have a couple of businesses of my own and I know what comes out of Brussels as I have to deal with it every day of my life.

So you deal with the increased trade and the huge number of private sector jobs that depend on the EU due to it being a large trading block?

 

[pepitko]

A standard charging port is great news!

Exactly, this is awesome, the EU is finally doing something for us, yay!

 

[JAQ]

Or they'll stick a micro USB port next to the regular dock connector and both ports will work

The micro-USB connector is small and slim enough that Apple could "hide" one somewhere, to comply, while still keeping the full-featured dock connector as the primary charging input.

 

[Eraserhead]

(Enjoy your royalties, USB consortium... I guess it's a way of saying thank you to Intel for payment of its £1 billion fine for the crime of not having sufficient lobbyists while doing business in the EU.

I don't think the EU is quite that corrupt, the decision would have been made on the merits of the case...

Assuming they'll pay.

They'll obviously pay - otherwise they'll have to give up the whole European market (which is probably the worlds largest - and certainly in the top 3) to AMD.

 

[BaldiMac]

The micro-USB connector is small and slim enough that Apple could "hide" one somewhere, to comply, while still keeping the full-featured dock connector as the primary charging input.

There is no need to adjust the connector on the phone. Only the connector on the charger. (Or provide an adapter for the charger. For Apple, this would mean an adapter to convert from full USB to micro-USB. The dock connector is not involved.)

 

[nascimento]

So you deal with the increased trade and the huge number of private sector jobs that depend on the EU due to it being a large trading block?

I am not against the EU "per se". It is fundamentally good that the the different countries find common ground to work with. What type of common ground and how it is setup is altogether another matter.
I am against the idiots that churn out laws without knowing what impact they might have.

Very big distinction.

 

[Veri]

Not really, as per other EU rules they'll have to comply to certain minimum safety standards in order to be sold in the EU. So they'll be fine.

Haha, there's a chasm between meeting the EU's "certain minimum safety standards" and engineering a device to actually be safe (in terms of no melting and not delivering ether-killer level performance to the load) under normal operation and with a wide variety of failure modes for effectively 100% of devices actually delivered to the consumer. If your Apple charger kills your Apple 'phone, you blame Apple. If your $1 no-name kills your Apple 'phone... oh dear.

It's yet more likely that people are going to buy cheap chargers the output of which gradually drifts over the years. Because the EU is a utopia where a charging standard can be built allowing chargers to last forever, right?

The EU is stifling all but the huge conglomerates with ridiculous exaggerations of what they call Law.

The main purpose of today's EU, from a business perspective, is to protect larger businesses from competition from smaller businesses.

(Fun fact: Did you know that the EU requires all member states to impose a minimum of 15% VAT, i.e. sales tax?)

[edit: To the EU white knights : the standard rate must be at least 15%, per 2006/112. Specific exemptions for a small set of enumerated items exist, e.g. non-luxury food.]

They'll obviously pay - otherwise they'll have to give up the whole European market (which is probably the worlds largest - and certainly in the top 3) to AMD.

Sure, sure. So many multi-billion-dollar businesses have been exiled successfully from the EU. Oh, what's that, zero?

 

[Cromulent]

The fact is that most people in the EU don’t know who represents them in Brussels. I would love to see some more ACCOUNTABILITY. I would love to see some more investigative journalism looking through all the expenses of the members of parliament.

I am sure that we, the tax payers of Europe, would all be surprised

(and sorry to the forum as this has nothing to do with the subject)

I don't think anyone would dispute the fact that the EU wastes money. Farming subsidies are a great example but then the US do the same thing too. In fact the reason for the EU in the first place was so that European nations could compete with countries like the US economically. You as a business owner should appreciate the fact that you have access to a free trade agreement which covers over 500 million people.

 

[Hellhammer]

This is a good thing, I don't get it why people are complaining. USB is much better than Apple's dock connector because it's isn't Apple's and 3rd parties don't charge 20 bucks for a cable.

At least this is some improvement from the times when EU was setting shape standards for class one cucumbers...

 

[Eraserhead]

Haha, there's a chasm between meeting the EU's "certain minimum safety standards" and engineering a device to actually be safe (in terms of no melting and not delivering ether-killer level performance to the load) under normal operation and with a wide variety of failure modes for effectively 100% of devices actually delivered to the consumer.

Very true. I'd imagine the EU 'minimum safety standards' are far stricter than needed to deliver safe operation.

The main purpose of today's EU, from a business perspective, is to protect larger businesses from competition from smaller businesses.

Source.

(Fun fact: Did you know that the EU requires all member states to impose a minimum of 15% VAT, i.e. sales tax?)

I think that's a pile of rubbish. The British have 0% VAT on many things.

Farming subsidies are a great example

+1 million.

 

[kas23]

Where does it say they can't have the 30-pin connector on the phone? It doesn't say that at all.

They won't drop the 30-pin anytime soon.

It certainly doesn't say they can't have a 30-pin connector. It does say it has to have a mini-USB. Sure, they could put both, but really, why would be the point? Why waste the precious space? And I'm not talking about space on the outside of the phone, but on the inside. There will have to be 2 pieces of technology that will have to detect the external connections. Just seems wasteful to me.