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

[Rodimus Prime]

I am pretty sure each phone only has one charger. All electronic devices have power cords/charging cords, most which are not compatible. I have more non-cell phone power cables than I do cell phone power cables.

Easy solution - make sure everything comes with a charger. You don't have to replace anything, it's free! New phones are going to come with chargers anyway - don't you se.....

To both of your all post you all failed address one huge part agrument.
If you only have one charger it is fine but a lot of people buy a car charger and some even buy a 2nd cell charger. Now if you and when you changed phones that car charger, and spare charger are now complete garbage and you have to go buy new ones.


I know I like having 2 chargers and a car one. It is one charger for home, 1 for the car and then one that lives in my bag for when I travel. It also means if I forget my charger there I have a spare.
I will say it was really nice when I would go to my parents and my mom used the same phone charger I did because I would just leave my charger at home and use hers. It prevents me from having to worry about not having one.

 

[Rooskibar03]

This is terrible. The government has NO RIGHT to dictate the design of a product.

+1,000,000

Safety regulations are one thing, but this is far outside that realm.

So what, now all those products labled "made for iPod" will read "made for the old iPod"

Thanks for nothing EU.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

Yeah, as long as they are Apple's standards....

Or are Open Standards the benefit mostly Apple.

 

[whatever]

Our wonderful United States of America has always been out of sync with the rest of the world i.e. fractional system vs. metrics, which is far more accurate and standardized. We use to actually get it, but we don't anymore...

Not sure what you're talking about.

Apple will provide an adapter, they will not change their adapter.

 

[kindrik]

Nothing needs to change with the 30 pin dock connector. It's the connection on the charger that is changing (probably with an adapter). The other end of the cable.

But why pick micro usb then? My computer has 4 usb ports, another computer near this has 4 and I have 2 plugs that accept standard usb connections for wall sockets. I don't have any micro usb ports. What am I going to plug the micro usb end of the cable into to charge?

I can't see it being a micro to standard usb adapter because that would mean we'd all need adapters, which would somewhat nullify the exercise!

Also, isn't micro usb small so that it can plug into small devices? I'm not saying the 30 pin will be made obsolete but I suspect that the adaptor will go at that end! The standard charging cable would then be a micro usb to standard usb, something which I'm sure most of us already own?

 

[Kebabselector]

I guess it'll look a bit like my bad photoshop

But with the correct connector

(was posted before in a previous USB/iphone thread)

 

[macidiot]

"Introduction of the universal charger will make life much simpler for EU consumers," said Dennis Abbott, a European Commission spokesperson. "When you discover you've left your charger at home or work, you will be able to use someone else's, knowing it will fit your phone. How cool is that?"

Funny, I already have that with my iPhone. Literally everyone I know either has an iPhone or iPod or both. And virtually every hotel I've stayed in over the past few years has an iPod compatible dock of some sort in the rooms.

And the few times I've been out and about and needing a charge, I've simply walked into an Apple store. And if none were nearby, I'd randomly walk into retail stores or a restaurant... you'd be surprised at how many have an iPod dock tucked away somewhere.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

But why pick micro usb then? My computer has 4 usb ports, another computer near this has 4 and I have 2 plugs that accept standard usb connections for wall sockets. I don't have any micro usb ports. What am I going to plug the micro usb end of the cable into to charge?

I can't see it being a micro to standard usb adapter because that would mean we'd all need adapters, which would somewhat nullify the exercise!

Also, isn't micro usb small so that it can plug into small devices? I'm not saying the 30 pin will be made obsolete but I suspect that the adaptor will go at that end! The standard charging cable would then be a micro usb to standard usb, something which I'm sure most of us already own?

You do know they make a lot of cables that go USB to microUSB.
They can not use standard USB because of how large it is. MicroUSB is smaller in every way than the apple 30 pin.
Plus you almost never see a male male standard USB cord but often see a standard USB to some other type of USB cord. Like mini, micro or that square one used on printers. They are all part of the USB family.

It seems many people here do not really even know what a micro USB port is or how it works but instead think "{OMG apple has to changed BAD BAD BAD....."

 

[baryon]

So either Apple puts a USB port on the iPhone along with the 30-pin iPod connector, or replaces the iPod connector with USB, or provides an adapter.

If they go with both the 30-pin and the USB port, that may be redundant and look bad.

If they get rid of the huge 30-pin connector, people will complain that it isn't backward compatible with the iPod-Hi-Fi dock things and other gadgets.

If they provide an adapter, that makes the entire thing pointless since you may just forget your adapter at home the same way you forget your charger. The point of this would be that all phones would always have the same USB charging connector.

By the way, what's the advantage of the 30-pin connector over USB? I mean I guess you can pretty much do anything over USB, even stream high quality video and audio, or connect any type of interface... So why keep that?

A simple USB port on the iPhone would be pretty cool, I think the 30-pin connector is difficult to connect and disconnect compared to USB.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

"Introduction of the universal charger will make life much simpler for EU consumers," said Dennis Abbott, a European Commission spokesperson. "When you discover you've left your charger at home or work, you will be able to use someone else's, knowing it will fit your phone. How cool is that?"

Funny, I already have that with my iPhone. Literally everyone I know either has an iPhone or iPod or both. And virtually every hotel I've stayed in over the past few years has an iPod compatible dock of some sort in the rooms.

And the few times I've been out and about and needing a charge, I've simply walked into an Apple store. And if none were nearby, I'd randomly walk into retail stores or a restaurant... you'd be surprised at how many have an iPod dock tucked away somewhere.

But see that limited people to a very small number if their cell batteries are dead. What about everyone who has a blackberry, nokia, or an Android phone. No luck on charging for those people. Can not borrow a charger. Or if you go to place were they do not have one of those you are still SOL. you have a lot fewer choices on people to charge from.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

So either Apple puts a USB port on the iPhone along with the 30-pin iPod connector, or replaces the iPod connector with USB, or provides an adapter.

If they go with both the 30-pin and the USB port, that may be redundant and look bad.

If they get rid of the huge 30-pin connector, people will complain that it isn't backward compatible with the iPod-Hi-Fi dock things and other gadgets.

If they provide an adapter, that makes the entire thing pointless since you may just forget your adapter at home the same way you forget your charger. The point of this would be that all phones would always have the same USB charging connector.

By the way, what's the advantage of the 30-pin connector over USB? I mean I guess you can pretty much do anything over USB, even stream high quality video and audio, or connect any type of interface... So why keep that?

A simple USB port on the iPhone would be pretty cool, I think the 30-pin connector is difficult to connect and disconnect compared to USB.

iPhone is not compatible with the iPod hi as it is. Hell none of the iPod touches are. Apple no longer allows charging by Fire-wire and guess what the Hi Fi uses to charge (fire wire)
Apple screwed over a lot of those nice produces when they abandon firewire and only allow USB charging.

Personally I go with putting the micro USB charger on one of the sides. It will not look at bad and hell they could put a cover on it like how the Galaxy S does it. Also apple would not be the first company to have 2 charging ports on their phones. Blackberries change charge off micro USB or off a charging dock.

 

[baryon]

Nothing needs to change with the 30 pin dock connector. It's the connection on the charger that is changing (probably with an adapter). The other end of the cable.

What? You mean the Standard USB is going to be changed to Micro USB? You mean the PORT on the computer? No, that's wrong, we're talking about the port on the phone, not on the computer. So it's the phone-end of the cable that will be Micro-USB, not the computer-end. This is pretty obvious, since normal-size USB is standard anyway. What isn't standard is the types of charging ports the various phones use. Nokias have 2 different kinds of Nokia chargers, Samsungs have even more, etc... The iPhone uses a 30 pin connector, which isn't standard as well... So Micro-USB would be the standard port to be found on every phone, so that you can charge it with the help of a Micro-USB to Normal-USB cable. That makes sense!

 

[kindrik]

You do know they make a lot of cables that go USB to microUSB.
They can not use standard USB because of how large it is. MicroUSB is smaller in every way than the apple 30 pin.
Plus you almost never see a male male standard USB cord but often see a standard USB to some other type of USB cord. Like mini, micro or that square one used on printers. They are all part of the USB family.

So you agree with my last paragraph?? The one that said the small end would go in the device and the big end in your computer?

It seems many people here do not really even know what a micro USB port is or how it works but instead think "{OMG apple has to changed BAD BAD BAD....."

Well really, the method I was describing would mean less change for apple. Keep the dock as it is now and supply an adapter to plug the micro (small) end of the cable into. You then plug the larger end of your cable into your computer!

I think you're actually agreeing with me, don't really know why you ranted a bit at the end!

 

[kernkraft]

I guess it'll look a bit like my bad photoshop

But with the correct connector

(was posted before in a previous USB/iphone thread)

Good job!

 

[Number 41]

But see that limited people to a very small number if their cell batteries are dead. What about everyone who has a blackberry, nokia, or an Android phone. No luck on charging for those people. Can not borrow a charger. Or if you go to place were they do not have one of those you are still SOL. you have a lot fewer choices on people to charge from.

Here's a tip: bring an effing charger with you when you go places.

This is the worst possible rationale for this law -- because that transforms this from a woefully misguided liberal effort to "keep e-waste out of landfills" and into a mommy-state resolution to help memory-impaired morons who leave their phone charger at home when they pack an overnight bag.

Actually, each "goal" is equally stupid. We're burning fossil fuels so fast that the planet will be uninhabitable within a few hundred years -- I doubt a couple million phone chargers in a landfill is going to speed that process up at all.

 

[MacKeeperFanMod]

its good.. one charger all phones get charged, and i think it will also unify the accessory section, wherein headsets could be interchangeable. But how do they compensate for the different voltages needed for each phone's battery?? internal resistance?

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Here's a tip: bring an effing charger with you when you go places.

This is the worst possible rationale for this law -- because that transforms this from a woefully misguided liberal effort to "keep e-waste out of landfills" and into a mommy-state resolution to help memory-impaired morons who leave their phone charger at home when they pack an overnight bag.

Actually, each "goal" is equally stupid. We're burning fossil fuels so fast that the planet will be uninhabitable within a few hundred years -- I doubt a couple million phone chargers in a landfill is going to speed that process up at all.

You really should look at the train for that thread.

So what about those car charges you had for you old phone or that spare charger that you had for your old phone.
I my house I currently have at least 13 or so chargers that are no use any more because those phones are no longer used and could not be carried over to the new one.
That is a mixture of car chargers, spare charger and chargers that came with the phones over the years.

Have 4 phones in uses and 3 separated chargers for them is rather insane.

 

[macidiot]

But see that limited people to a very small number if their cell batteries are dead. What about everyone who has a blackberry, nokia, or an Android phone. No luck on charging for those people. Can not borrow a charger. Or if you go to place were they do not have one of those you are still SOL. you have a lot fewer choices on people to charge from.

The point was iPhone charging is nearly ubiquitous already, at least for me.

And I don't know how mandating micro-usb helps all that much. You're still going to see plenty more iPod docks floating around(I've even used one on the beach, good luck micro-usb charging at the beach) rather than micro-usb power adapters. You are still going to have to pack one on trips. And it will still be highly unlikely to sneak a charge by walking into a store or restaurant.

I suppose there is some value in a standard (instead of Nokia's insane chargers). It just seems superfluous for the iPhone.

 

[nofunsir]

micro usb and microeconomics

Step 1: Put small adapter in box with iWidget.
Step 2: Cover cost of government-mandatory adapter in price of iWidget.
Step 3: ...


This is beside the point: don't both the micro usb cable and the 30-pin connecter cable have the same Type A plug on the other end? Is that not good enough?

Perhaps the law should instead govern the OTHER end of the plug. Standardize the other end of the cable USB Type A and have a standard wall-outlet (per country) to usb charger. Isn't the main waste in the bulky AC/DC converter?

 

[Stella]

When phones targeted for Europe get standardized chargers, the rest of the world will become standardized as well. Why make several models of the same phone just for different charging inputs?

This will be great. I expect Apple will some how work this into it's products somehow - otherwise they'll get bad PR for not doing so.

One charger for all phones ( and other devices ). Things will be more convenient and definitely benefits the consumer greatly.

 

[Daveoc64]

This is the worst possible rationale for this law -- because that transforms this from a woefully misguided liberal effort to "keep e-waste out of landfills" and into a mommy-state resolution to help memory-impaired morons who leave their phone charger at home when they pack an overnight bag.

I don't like getting into Politics - especially US Politics much, but this is such a broken sentence.

The US Democrat party != liberals. Liberals do not have to be left wing (the opposite makes far more sense).

True "liberals" would absolutely not support the state imposing regulation on something like this.

Americans use the term "liberal" to describe the "Left Wing" (ha!) Democrats.

I think this is a very good idea, as I've bought two car chargers in the last year and neither of them will work with my newly purchased iPhone 4.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

When phones targeted for Europe get standardized chargers, the rest of the world will become standardized as well. Why make several models of the same phone just for different charging inputs?

This will be great. I expect Apple will some how work this into it's products somehow - otherwise they'll get bad PR for not doing so.

One charger for all phones ( and other devices ). Things will be more convenient and definitely benefits the consumer greatly.

I am with you. I like this law because it pushes all the manufactures to go that way. My blackberry is already that way and I do not for see myself buying a phone in the future that does not use the micro USB standard. I do think it is bad form for Apple not to follow threw and put it directly on the phone. They agreed to it and were one of the companies that pushed for the law before they seem to back out and want to tty to force more people to be locked in. Honestly I do not see a problem putting it on the top or the side of the iPhone and the 30pin can stay on the bottom.

 

[3D0G]

The government has NO RIGHT to dictate the design of a product.

This sounds like a philosophical/theoretical position.

Philosophically, I disagree. In a representative democracy, the government represents the will of the people, and we the people, through our elected government, have the right to implement our will and organize our societies (including business activity) any way we see fit, unless specifically restricted from doing so by some constitutional article.

 

[dsacgt]

Mini magsafe

Personally I'd like a mini magsafe connector, maybe mini usb magsafe? Note sure if it would work when charging only from USB port though, maybe not enough current to drive the magnet?

 

[darkplanets]

They're not getting rid of the 30-pin connector. Ever. It's reliant on too many things; docking stations for music, their keyboard dock, the flash card dock ("photo"), connections to reg USB, connections to FW400 (sadly no longer produced ), and even their own, much preferable charger (at least IMO, since its power supply swappable).

So, instead, we'll get a dock connector that will be like the photoshopped image further up the page. Expect nothing more. Especially if printing, tethering, etc come into fruition (legitimately).