USB-C will be the new standard port for all Europeans.
This means more savings for EU consumers and less waste for the planet:
🔌 mobile phones, tablets, cameras… will all use USB type C
🔌 harmonised fast-charging technology
🔌 unbundling of sale of chargers
@EU_Commission Bruh we just need long-lasting phones and a safe plug-to-battery conductor
@EU_Commission I mean sure having proprietary firmwares on lightning ports or wifi chips is a problem, but let’s not upset tenants shall we?
@EU_Commission@social.network.europa.eu In the long run it will (hopefully) be beneficial, but short term...😖
- hundreds of millions of perfectly working Lightning chargers will become obsolete... a mountain of electronic waste
- iPhone users will need to buy a new charger again, which wasn't the case for the last few model upgrades because Apple already unbundled them
And the adoption of the USB-C connector will definitely not bring harmonization in the fast-charging standards 🤣
@EU_Commission USB-C for phones seems reasonable (although how long until it's made irrelevant by inductive charging?), but not a fan of mandating it on laptops.
When Apple went to USB-C laptop chargers it was widely hated by users, to the point where they have actually reversed course on newer models—going back to magnetic connectors. These are superior to USB-C in every way, and save laptops from damage that would otherwise junk them.
A standardized magnetic charger would be *great* though.
@kadin @EU_Commission newer macbooks still charge through usb-c and there's no magsafe cable in the box. dunno what issues usb-c charging has, but maybe it would be best if laptop manufacturers added optional usb-c charging along with their proprietary interfaces? i don't think the law prohibits it.
@17 @EU_Commission The 16" M1 MBP definitely comes with a MagSafe cable; my coworker got one recently. Maybe the smaller models don't—it seems on-brand for Apple to make you buy it separately.
It just seems like there are *much better* connectors for laptop charging than USB-C. I'm not sure that having one connector for laptops and phones is really that big a deal (since most phone chargers won't produce the watts); having one *good* connector across all brands of laptops would be amazing.
@kadin @EU_Commission oh, sorry, i think i misunderstood the apple website. it says "30W USB-C Power Adapter (included with M2 with 8-core GPU)", i didn't realize usb-c is on the other end of the plug. so disregard what i said about macbooks.
yeah, that makes sense. i found a few reviews saying that usb-c (in non-apple laptops, dunno about apple) always charges the battery, whereas the proprietary port can power the laptop bypassing the battery completely.
@kadin @EU_Commission okay, magsafe macbooks still do support usb-c charging, see https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212753. i wonder if including magsafe in the box while allowing usb-c charging is okay with the law.
@17
Yes it is. At least a quick read of the directive suggests it.
The device must support USB-C PD but that's it. It can support other things too.
If it was not worded like that inductive charging would have a problem.
@kadin @EU_Commission
@kadin
The directive only mandates that the device must support USB-C power delivery.
What other ways it supports being charged is completely open.
Besides for laptops PD with up to 100W is a bit limiting. Gaming rig might need more than 100W.
@EU_Commission
@EU_Commission
USB C is primarily data port, so we are banning ports designed for charging?
How about devices which need more watts than USB C can provide? Will this kill them?
Will we be stuck with USB C forever? If the port is mandated, it isn’t worth to innovate better connector because it won’t be allowed on any device.
I think better choice would’ve been forcing the charging standards to be open source and some way repairable
@jimbo @EU_Commission I just recently read that version 2.1 of USB-C will allow up to 240W power, so I don’t think that will be a bottleneck any time soon. But you have a good point on innovation; there will be a threshold to make something better.
@remaster @EU_Commission Oh, that’s great! I’m a bit worried how long will so small connectors last when used for that high power, but if it gets standardized I guess it has to work.
Basically EU is giving the power to usb consortium, so technically they can redefine what usb c is
@EU_Commission provisions to prevent e waste are welcome but I think the market will just adapt and offer workarounds. Extended warranty is a better tool to prevent waste imho.
@EU_Commission let's hope Apple follow suit with iPhone 15/16
@EU_Commission Great. Just a bit late but better late than never.