Apple is resisting EU pressure for phone charger standard

[Smudger]

They've been shown to be pretty wasteful in the past, anyone remember this one? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commis...C)_No._2257/94 - what happens to the bananas that aren't straight enough? ....

I bought some the other day. A quick look through the banana isle in any supermarket would show that you can still buy bendy bananas.

[Smudger]

USB-C is already a worse connector than lightning and it’s newer!

Can you qualify this? In what way is it worse?

[[GSV]Trig]

Can you qualify this? In what way is it worse?

I agree, USB-C with its centre pin means anyone forceful enough can stick the wrong charger in the port and bent the contacts out of the way or just straight up snap the centre pin, the lightning connector with its contacts around the outside, yet being double-sided is a lot more resilient to idiots IMHO.
I've never had or personally seen a broken lightning connector on a phone, iPad or whatever, yet I must have sent 10 phones away at my last place because people were using the wrong chargers, despite them all being supplied with decent cables and car kits, they'd take a personal phone, plug the wrong cable into the work phone and then I'd get a call saying that XYZ phone had stopped charging or they'd plug it in and it'd only slow charge etc..

[Iota]

I bought some the other day. A quick look through the banana isle in any supermarket would show that you can still buy bendy bananas.

I don't work in retail anymore, also that particular Directive has since been revoked once the EU realised the waste it produced.

Which is the whole point, when the EU make these directives, they don't anticipate how companies or the consumer behaviour will have an effect. However well meaning the directives may or may not be. I think the term is "short sighted".

[loftie]

I don't work in retail anymore, also that particular Directive has since been revoked once the EU realised the waste it produced.

The wiki article you linked states 2 things, first

This regulation requires that bananas as a minimum standard must not have "abnormal curvature",[5] although no definition or guidance was given about the degree of curvature that would be regarded as "abnormal".

which I'll admit is about as helpful as a chocolate teapot, good job EU. However, it doesn't actually ban bent bananas. Class 2 even states allowing defects of shape - though this AFAIK doesn't supercede abnormal curvature from the minimum standards.

Second, the banana thing was never repealed according to wiki

Though neither the press release cited above nor Regulation 1221/2008 made any mention of bananas or Regulation 2257/94

from the EU press release

They would abolish specific standards for 26 products: apricots, artichokes, asparagus, aubergines, avocadoes, beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflowers, cherries, courgettes, cucumbers, cultivated mushrooms, garlic, hazelnuts in shell, headed cabbage, leeks, melons, onions, peas, plums, ribbed celery, spinach, walnuts in shell, water melons, witloof/chicory, while setting new general minimum standards for the marketing of fruit and vegetables.

All in all, the banana 'ban' seems vague and I'd imagine what defines abnormal curvature would be left up to the member states, apart from that, and assuming I've not misunderstood, I suspect 'user' error comes into play. I don't think having standards is wrong, implemented a bit better would have been good but everything needs to start somewhere.

Which is the whole point, when the EU make these directives, they don't anticipate how companies or the consumer behaviour will have an effect. However well meaning the directives may or may not be. I think the term is "short sighted".

I think it's hard to predict how consumers will behave, companies can be worked with. I think not having the standards is more short sighted to be honest, reducing waste is a good thing. On the flip side, putting all your eggs in one basket isn't a great idea.

[Saracen999]

....

I don't think having standards is wrong, implemented a bit better would have been good but everything needs to start somewhere.

....
...

Yes ....and no. IMHO.

There is nothing wrong with regulation provided it is necessary, and well-written.


But I have a problem with things being regulated .... because they can.

By all means regulate for food safety, for animal welfare (not relevant to bananas), for accurate weighing and pricing, etc. But shape? I'm obviously lacking the imagination to see how the consumer is protected by regulating when a banana is either too curved, or not cufved enough. If it's infected or diseased, fine. But the flipping shape? It's anti-consumer, and nanny-statism at it's most stupid.

It's like supdemarkets and "wonky veg". Put wonky veg on the shelves at the right price and I don't care how wonky it is. For instance, potatoes. For chips, regular even shapes are better. Square/rectangular better, but I'll pick suitable specimens for that. If I'm going to dice, mash or even dauphinoise, shape doesn't bother me.

Maybe it s 'cos I remember the days when fresh veg was hard to get, certainly unless you grew it yourself. We used what we could get, and thankful for it.

Governments, whether EU or domestic, should only regulate where there is a clear need. Which doesn't include the shape of my banana. A lot of tne time it ends up in a blender for a smoothie or ice-cream, or .... etc.

So governments, unless you can demonstrate that clear need for regulation, butt the bleep out of our fruit, veg, etc.

[Saracen999]

Oh, and how did we get from Apple chargers to incorrectly shaped bananas? I didn't see that coming.

[loftie]

Oh, and how did we get from Apple chargers to incorrectly shaped bananas? I didn't see that coming.

Over regulation I think, lets face it, and both are fruit!

The food regs weren't that bananas must not be an odd shape, but that if they are sold as class one they have to not be an odd shape. Like i said, abnormal curvature was never defined (stupidly) so who's to say bananas the shape of cavatappi pasta is too abnormal. In the age of online shopping the banana regs actually make sense, if you ordered your banana without any classes being defined you could end up with a banana the shape of that pasta and not as the picture displays. What if you wanted that shape banana for a specific purpose? Besides, while you and I don't care how wonky veg are some people are incredibly fussy. You are therefore protected by getting something close to what has been defined as class one and you know that upon purchase. If you choose not to buy class one and get something odd shapped you shouldn't be surprised and if you're not bothered by shape etc buy class 2.
It's all about knowing what you're buying before you buy it.

[[GSV]Trig]

I thought the banana thing had been rubbished?

[shaithis]

It would be nice for everyone if Apple fell into line but its never going to happen, part of their marketing is to make their users feel "different", hense the stuborness to adopt industry standards.

Lets face it, has lightening bolt given anything to the phone (other then an even pricier tag) that a USB port wouldn't have been able to do? Whereas not being able to charge your phone because the only person with a cable near you is from a different ecosystem is a pain.

[Saracen999]

I thought the banana thing had been rubbished?

Yes and no.

The typical redtop media bucket of bullpoop about it has been debunked, because as so often is the case, they took something with a core of truth and entirely fabricated a nice, juicy copy-selling windup about bans.

But the Regulation does exist. EC2257/94, and it's about classifying abnormality, including slight curvature, as loftie said. It's not aimed at consumers, but at wholesalers and supermarkets, so that if they order 1000 cases of class 1, there are some standards as to what is and is not in class 1. But again, as loftie said, the definitons are so vague as to be useless. Unlike cucumbers, where permittable bend is no more than 10mm per 10cm of length for Class 1. Double that for class 2.

I'm taking my tape measure with me on our Saturday shop to ensure my cucumber purchase is compliant.


Oh wait ....Saturday is 1st Feb innit? Too late. Bu ..... ah .... bother.





Note for pedants : Yeah, extension period. I know. Just kidding.

[Saracen999]

Over regulation I think, lets face it, and both are fruit!

...

LOL. Good one.

Personally, I'd have said it was nuts.

All we need now is some cocoa solids mllk and some sugar and we've got a fruit and nut bar. You mix the dry stuff, I'll make the chocolate.