News All hail USB-C! New EU rule will require all phones and electronics to use a standard charger

[Amused]

Finally! Having a universal charging connector/standard for all devices is way past due.

New EU rule will require all phones and electronics to use a standard charger

Apple and other smartphone makers will be required to support USB-C as part of a single charging standard for mobile devices across the European Union by as early as the fall of 2024 under a new law announced Tuesday by EU officials.

www.cnn.com

 

[Dulanic]

Just in time for USB-E 2024, nearly 2025!

 

[Oyeve]

Great! I hate the stupid lightning port and stupid apple.

 

[Commodus]

Great! I hate the stupid lightning port and stupid apple.

Lightning wasn't stupid; it helped Apple deliver some of the main benefits of USB-C (smaller connector, omnidirectional and the like) years before USB-C was even available. And it took a while after that before there was enough of an ecosystem for USB-C to really offer benefits.

Don't get me wrong, Apple benefited from lock-in and should've at least improved the speed a long time ago, but Lightning wasn't just a cash grab; it was Apple refusing to wait years before the industry offered a spec that met its needs. I'll be glad if the iPhone 14 moves to USB-C, but I won't be surprised that Apple didn't rush to adopt the format early on.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Do you notice that your C isn't universally omnidirectional?

On my Motorola Stylus, plugging it in one way will charge slowly, while reversing it will charge rapidly.

 

[MrDaniel]

Do you notice that your C isn't universally omnidirectional?

On my Motorola Stylus, plugging it in one way will charge slowly, while reversing it will charge rapidly.

You sure that isnt a cord manufacturer issue or some of its pins dying? One of my cords seems real bad, maybe it has bad pins or wasn't designed well. Ill give it a try to turn it over.

 

[darkswordsman17]

I'm mixed on this. I think a unified charging standard is good, but this is late and I personally think USB-C is flawed. I think a connector more like Lightning is better, although I think they likely could have made an even batter cable standard.

Also, USB-C itself is a total mess, with it supporting charging from like very low (like sub 1W) all the way up to what like 200W now? Only not all cables/chargers will support that range, and there's very little way to verify that, not to mention the issues with cables claiming support not actually supporting all the features it claimed.

Also, they needed to make a magnetic/wireless standard as that's quickly going to make the USB-C issue moot and we'll be back to square one, only worse as it won't just be the cables but the chargers themselves as well.

Seems that wireless chargers that support multiple devices and brands is a total crapshoot. Was looking for one that could wireless charge a phone and a smartwatch (both Samsung) and seems like most can't offer that reliably. I found one where multiple reviews said that charger finally worked for them, but then many reported that it failed after months. Even the official Samsung chargers had quite a bit of reviews citing it failing or not working properly.