Europe plans to make USB-C a common charging solution

[HEXUS]

Apple's pleas to avoid "regulation that forces conformity," didn't cause any policy shift.

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[[GSV]Trig]

To be fair, I prefer the Apple lightning connector to USB C as the centre of USB can snap out, especially when moomins try to stick the wrong charger in there, at least with lightning the bit that is most likely to break is the cable, which is cheaper and easier to swap than the port on a device..

[kompukare]

Well, either way Apple have to adopt this or they should be fined.

If the lightning connector is so much better, Apple should licence it - at the going market rate.

Which is never going to Apple with Apple the 'Green, we care about the environment' company.

[Tabbykatze]

To be fair, I prefer the Apple lightning connector to USB C as the centre of USB can snap out, especially when moomins try to stick the wrong charger in there, at least with lightning the bit that is most likely to break is the cable, which is cheaper and easier to swap than the port on a device..

I have honestly never heard or seen anyone have the centre of a USB-C connector just "snapping out", not that it can't happen but commenting on the incredible rarity that I, as an IT manager, have not seen/heard it happen. If someone is doing something that can make it snap out, they need to pay the numpty tax to get it fixed.

I am sure by 2024 Apple will transition to USB-C but if they don't, I would love to see Apple iPhone blocked in the EU simply to see how much chaos it will cause both economically, for Apple users and Apple themselves.

[Corky34]

Can they legislate for the USB-IF to go back to the old naming scheme, the new one is so confusing .

[LSG501]

Honestly, we all know why apple were complaining, it was purely about making sure iPhone users were locked into a propriety connector that Apple has full control of and (iirc) can charge manufacturers for compatible hardware etc.

I'm all for standardised connectors, and it's obvious that apple can do this when it benefits them, ie on the iPad Pro, macbooks etc. Not to mention the iPhone uses the same base chipset as the iPad mini which is usb c not lightning...

It's also kind of ironic about Apple saying they cut out the charger because 'everyone has one' and to be eco friendly (yeah yeah, we're not daft it was money driven) while simultaneously complaining about a proprietary cable meaning users need 2 types of cable if they have both an iPad air (or above) and an iPhone... but then they can sell 2 types of 'spare' cables instead of people sharing..


Now if they can legislate the actual plastic casing of a usb c cable being the same as well that would be great... some devices have recessed sockets and restrict what cables can fit etc.

Wouldn't mind some 'better' naming too.

[[GSV]Trig]

I have honestly never heard or seen anyone have the centre of a USB-C connector just "snapping out", not that it can't happen but commenting on the incredible rarity that I, as an IT manager, have not seen/heard it happen. If someone is doing something that can make it snap out, they need to pay the numpty tax to get it fixed.

It wasn't overly rare where I used to work, we had security guards and installation engineers that would have personal phones, as well as work phones and someone, would invariably try to use the wrong charger cable and then either bend the pins or straight up snap the centre and it'd just be held in place by the connector pins, but wouldn't work unless it was wiggled into the right place, we had probably 5/6 in the space of a year and then I ended up buying wireless charger coils for them to sit inside the case to stop them messing them up with cables..
Not exactly a common issue for a personal user, but when there's 20 or so guys that don't know which van they're in from day to day cable and charger issues were common..

[Tabbykatze]

It wasn't overly rare where I used to work, we had security guards and installation engineers that would have personal phones, as well as work phones and someone, would invariably try to use the wrong charger cable and then either bend the pins or straight up snap the centre and it'd just be held in place by the connector pins, but wouldn't work unless it was wiggled into the right place, we had probably 5/6 in the space of a year and then I ended up buying wireless charger coils for them to sit inside the case to stop them messing them up with cables..
Not exactly a common issue for a personal user, but when there's 20 or so guys that don't know which van they're in from day to day cable and charger issues were common..

So the issue wasn't that the connector was poor and could be prone to breaking, it was more that people were trying to stick the wrong thing in the wrong hole?

I mean, that's not realllllly the fault of USB-C

[Darkedge]

Trig;304]To be fair, I prefer the Apple lightning connector to USB C as the centre of USB can snap out, especially when moomins try to stick the wrong charger in there, at least with lightning the bit that is most likely to break is the cable, which is cheaper and easier to swap than the port on a device..

Only slapping the wrong cable in it as lightning connectors are not an open standard used by everything. You are blaming USB C for a problem caused by Apple. I don't care which way it goes but would rather the open non proprietary effectively free standard wins every time. If lightning was free to use yeah lets have it everywhere, but no so USB C plz.

[[GSV]Trig]

So the issue wasn't that the connector was poor and could be prone to breaking, it was more that people were trying to stick the wrong thing in the wrong hole?

I mean, that's not realllllly the fault of USB-C

No, its not a fault of USB-C at all, just the moomins I used to work with..
At least with lightening the connector on the device isn't going to break as easily as a USB-C will if you give it to an idiot, and I prefer to replace a cable over replacing or repairing a device..

[[GSV]Trig]

Only slapping the wrong cable in it as lightning connectors are not an open standard used by everything. You are blaming USB C for a problem caused by Apple. I don't care which way it goes but would rather the open non proprietary effectively free standard wins every time. If lightning was free to use yeah lets have it everywhere, but no so USB C plz.

Think the anti-Apple slide on this is more you than me chap, I didn't say it was a fault of Apple or USB-C, I simply prefer the lightning connector over USB-C due to the experience relayed above..

[sinhaomar]

It is an important step to unify the electronics charger standard. On my opinion apple, some camera's and other devices producers will be against.

[DanceswithUnix]

Some deja-vue here. The EU claimed to have saved the world once with this stuff, when mini-USB was taking over from proprietary charging cables. At that time I already had a cheap £30 feature phone with a USB charging port so figured USB charging was a done deal.

So now USB-C is taking over, and the EU are again trying to take credit for the hard work of the USB consortium.

Now last time Apple just ignored all this, and the EU said that was fine because there were cheap and readily available adaptor cables to allow Apple users to use a USB charger. So I don't expect any change in behaviour from Apple.

the EC's proposals cover not just smartphones but tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers and handheld video game consoles.

All the stuff the family has bought in I think the last year has been USB-C or at least micro USB.

My son's laptop has a barrel charging port, but is capable of USB-C charging, so a bit of an edge case.
I believe the Nintendo Switch is USB-C already? As is the Oculus Quest 2 so I think the EU should have bundled in head mounted video games to claim a victory there as well.

Edit: What I *really* want to see is the EU standardising on removable Li-Ion battery packs. These things are sizeable, and I now have a stack of them along with their chargers. They all do the same thing, they are all completely incompatible and they are all a few years old and starting to lose some capacity. When the battery pack dies on my lawnmower the whole thing with go to the tip because Homebase don't make those Qualcast units or sell spare batteries. I should be able to go to the likes of Energizer or Duracell and just ask for a standard 36V battery pack like I can a pack of AA cells.

There don't seem to be many voltages, the Li-Ion chemistry sorts that out. Just need a standard physical dimensions, retention clip and connector.

[kompukare]

The last time it never got to a directive, but more an understanding.

A Gentlemen's Agreement/Understanding even, but Apple were obviously not Gentlemen and just ignored it.

That's why I'm hoping this time it has teeth and Apple either comply, get fined, or get banned.

[DanceswithUnix]

Perhaps we should just start a rumour that all the latest Apple phones support microwave charging. 60 seconds at 850W should get it as charged as it will ever get after that

[kompukare]

Perhaps we should just start a rumour that all the latest Apple phones support microwave charging. 60 seconds at 850W should get it as charged as it will ever get after that

I was going to say nobody could be that stupid... but then though a bit more: yes they could!