4 ms·

EU rules to force USB-C chargers for all phones

29 points by jonbaer 5y ago

mullingitover 5y ago
I can't believe it'll take the EU version of an act of congress to force Apple to ditch the low-performance lightning ports. I hope Apple doesn't try an end run around this by going to purely wireless charging, which is the only way they could do worse than what they have with lightning ports.
- OldHand2018 5y ago
  You know it. Wireless charging and a Lightning "diagnostic port". But seriously, what is wrong with purely wireless charging? They're using an industry standard. I just use the $5 Ikea wireless charging pad for my phone and it works just fine.
  - function_seven 5y ago
    I bought a wireless charging pad when I got my phone. Haven't used it once after trying for a few days. 1. I can't use the phone while it's charging. Sometimes I want to do that. Even in bed. Even after I've laid my head down. 2. I have to put the phone on there just so for the coils to align. (Magsafe looks awesome in this regard, but I have a XR, so I'm out of luck) 3. It's slower than the plugin charger. 4. Half the time I want to charge my phone, I'm in the car, or at my desk, or somewhere else where my wireless charging pad isn't. If a phone was exclusively wireless charging, then I'd have to buy several doohickeys.
  - nikau 5y ago
    I use a quadlock case so I can mount the phone on my bike handlebars, it makes wireless charging very finicky as the coils are separated more than usual, so its easier to just plug in usb.
- dwaite 5y ago
  Lightning supports 5 Gb/s when running USB 3. However, there are AFAIK no cables that support USB 3 - you need to use an adapter that exposes a USB 3 port like Apple's camera adapter kit. Likewise, there is no requirement that a USB-C cable (or port) support Superspeed USB. Most charging cables for example only support USB 2 speeds for cost reasons.
maneesh 5y ago
This is amazing. I cannot wait to only need USB-C cables and nothing else.
- 1over137 5y ago
  It's only amazing if it happens. It's just a proposal right now.
pitched 5y ago
The easy way to get more data through a port is to add more data lines (and update the connector to support it). I guess the hard way would be to use fiber (another different connector) or maybe coax data lines instead of differential lines (connector might still work but connecting old and new systems would be interesting). So if I’m understanding this proposal right, we will never live in a world where improving on USBC will happen?
- zamalek 5y ago
  OnePlus has already improved on USB-C. It's completely proprietary, but is negotiated, and the cable can be used just fine for other purposes (my S/O saw mine and also wanted a fancy red cable). But, yeah. Innovation will now happen at the cadence of EU law: which is technically a good thing for e-waste.
- Doxin 5y ago
  micro-usb was settled on as the standard for phone chargers previously. USB-C still happened.
- kalleboo 5y ago
  As long as it's backward-compatible with existing chargers then device manufacturers can do anything. They could even put 2 ports on the device, where one is USB-C.
SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
EU: We want all phones etc to use the same charging cable connector. Everyone bar Apple: Ok, USB-C it is. Apple: LOL no. EU: ahem You made us ask twice. All phones will use the same charging cable. What did Apple expect? Was this just a stalling tactic to get some more proprietary charger time?
- tshaddox 5y ago
  Do you think this is something Apple didn’t expect? I’m pretty sure they’re fine with it. Haven’t they been throwing older USB adapters in the box in some countries for many years?
  - SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
    If Apple were fine with it, they would have complied when it was just a guideline and not a law, like the other vendors did.
d13 5y ago
Just include an EU compliant USBC charging adaptor in the box for whatever proprietary connector is on your phone?

29 points by jonbaer 5y ago

I can't believe it'll take the EU version of an act of congress to force Apple to ditch the low-performance lightning ports. I hope Apple doesn't try an end run around this by going to purely wireless charging, which is the only way they could do worse than what they have with lightning ports.

OldHand2018 5y ago
You know it. Wireless charging and a Lightning "diagnostic port". But seriously, what is wrong with purely wireless charging? They're using an industry standard. I just use the $5 Ikea wireless charging pad for my phone and it works just fine.
- function_seven 5y ago
  I bought a wireless charging pad when I got my phone. Haven't used it once after trying for a few days. 1. I can't use the phone while it's charging. Sometimes I want to do that. Even in bed. Even after I've laid my head down. 2. I have to put the phone on there just so for the coils to align. (Magsafe looks awesome in this regard, but I have a XR, so I'm out of luck) 3. It's slower than the plugin charger. 4. Half the time I want to charge my phone, I'm in the car, or at my desk, or somewhere else where my wireless charging pad isn't. If a phone was exclusively wireless charging, then I'd have to buy several doohickeys.
- nikau 5y ago
  I use a quadlock case so I can mount the phone on my bike handlebars, it makes wireless charging very finicky as the coils are separated more than usual, so its easier to just plug in usb.
dwaite 5y ago
Lightning supports 5 Gb/s when running USB 3. However, there are AFAIK no cables that support USB 3 - you need to use an adapter that exposes a USB 3 port like Apple's camera adapter kit. Likewise, there is no requirement that a USB-C cable (or port) support Superspeed USB. Most charging cables for example only support USB 2 speeds for cost reasons.

maneesh 5y ago

This is amazing. I cannot wait to only need USB-C cables and nothing else.

1over137 5y ago
It's only amazing if it happens. It's just a proposal right now.

pitched 5y ago

The easy way to get more data through a port is to add more data lines (and update the connector to support it). I guess the hard way would be to use fiber (another different connector) or maybe coax data lines instead of differential lines (connector might still work but connecting old and new systems would be interesting). So if I’m understanding this proposal right, we will never live in a world where improving on USBC will happen?

zamalek 5y ago
OnePlus has already improved on USB-C. It's completely proprietary, but is negotiated, and the cable can be used just fine for other purposes (my S/O saw mine and also wanted a fancy red cable). But, yeah. Innovation will now happen at the cadence of EU law: which is technically a good thing for e-waste.
Doxin 5y ago
micro-usb was settled on as the standard for phone chargers previously. USB-C still happened.
kalleboo 5y ago
As long as it's backward-compatible with existing chargers then device manufacturers can do anything. They could even put 2 ports on the device, where one is USB-C.

SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago

EU: We want all phones etc to use the same charging cable connector. Everyone bar Apple: Ok, USB-C it is. Apple: LOL no. EU: ahem You made us ask twice. All phones will use the same charging cable. What did Apple expect? Was this just a stalling tactic to get some more proprietary charger time?

tshaddox 5y ago
Do you think this is something Apple didn’t expect? I’m pretty sure they’re fine with it. Haven’t they been throwing older USB adapters in the box in some countries for many years?
- SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
  If Apple were fine with it, they would have complied when it was just a guideline and not a law, like the other vendors did.

d13 5y ago

Just include an EU compliant USBC charging adaptor in the box for whatever proprietary connector is on your phone?