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All the handwringing about stifling innovation is on its face ridiculous as mandates to use micro-usb didn't stop android phones from adopting the new and bette

All the handwringing about stifling innovation is on its face ridiculous as mandates to use micro-usb didn't stop android phones from adopting the new and better standard as soon as it was viable. I'm not sure I understand your logic here. Android phones were able to quickly move to micro USB because they weren't restricted from doing so by a government regulation. If there was a government mandate requiring phones to have whatever connector came before micro USB, wouldn't that have prevented the Android phones from changing connectors/choosing the new innovation? Or was there a location where micro USB was required by law before, and since I don't live there, I wasn't affected by it? Edit: Strike that last sentence, since I see in other responses that there was, indeed, a location where micro USB was mandated. So my new question is: How does a company change to a new/better connector, if it's required by law to use an old connector? Edit edit: Looks like other responses show there was no mandate, that's just something that people on HN assume. It was a recommendation, not a law, like it is now.

BiteCode_dev 4y ago
Micro usb was mandatory in europe for phones years ago.
- nulld3v 4y ago
  Are you talking about https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_external_power_supply https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_external_power_supply? This wasn't a mandate, it was just a recommendation.
- tephra 4y ago
  No it was never mandatory only voluntary. There was a threat to make it mandatory but most mobile phone suppliers signed a letter of intent on implementing a common standard (apple included).
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- dahfizz 4y ago
  This is incorrect. It was a voluntary standard signed on by a non-binding MoU. All Manufacturers were free to "break" the agreement when moving to USB-C. Now they are stuck on USB-C until a new law is written.
dogleash 4y ago
> If there was a government mandate requiring phones to have whatever connector came before micro USB, wouldn't that have prevented the Android phones from changing connectors/choosing the new innovation? Dunno, we have a test case tho: how'd the Micro-B to USB-C transition go in EU markets?
- schmuelio 4y ago
  Happened a while ago, you have to go out of your way to find (new) android phones with Micro-B.
  - westurner 4y ago
- stingraycharles 4y ago
  It’s going just fine, from my perspective. Unfortunately I now have three different types of cables (micro-B, USB-C and lightning), and it makes it extra challenging that USB-C is sometimes double ended, sometimes B-to-C. On the other hand, it’s very nice I can charge my new Framework laptop and iPad using the same cable cable and charger. But it’s going quite quickly, and most of the apple devices I bought recently already have USB-C in one way or another, and the actual problem for me is replacing power banks and chargers so that they support USB-C as well. Most of them assume USB-C == “high power slot”, when I just need a few of them for smaller stuff (AirPods and Apple Watch both came with USB-C cables).
BadOakOx 4y ago
> How does a company change to a new/better connector, if it's required by law to use an old connector? EU is pushing for "One charger for all" for a long time. Here is an article from 2011 [1], so this is nothing new. I don't think they enforced it at the time, but the manufacturers (and the EU?) agreed to use Micro USB. Now they are going for USB-C, so they definitely are not in the way of innovation. I think if there is an agreement between manufacturers to support a new standard, it will be adapted. [1] https://www.theverge.com/apple/2011/10/4/2469886/apple-releases-micro-usb-adapter-for-iphone https://www.theverge.com/apple/2011/10/4/2469886/apple-relea...
- dahfizz 4y ago
  This is not correct. Phone manufacturers signed a non-binding MoU, agreeing to use Micro USB. This was completely voluntary. That is why they were able to upgrade to USB-C without any issue. This law is different. It would be illegal to upgrade to a better port. And the barrier to creating, testing, and having adoption for a new port just became way higher than it was before.
hjkl0 4y ago
> So my new question is: How does a company change to a new/better connector, if it's required by law to use an old connector? It would be like a nation state deciding to change its standard electric socket, like a country with US sockets switching to EU sockets. Doesn’t sound easy.

BiteCode_dev 4y ago

Micro usb was mandatory in europe for phones years ago.

nulld3v 4y ago
Are you talking about https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_external_power_supply https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_external_power_supply? This wasn't a mandate, it was just a recommendation.
tephra 4y ago
No it was never mandatory only voluntary. There was a threat to make it mandatory but most mobile phone suppliers signed a letter of intent on implementing a common standard (apple included).
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
dahfizz 4y ago
This is incorrect. It was a voluntary standard signed on by a non-binding MoU. All Manufacturers were free to "break" the agreement when moving to USB-C. Now they are stuck on USB-C until a new law is written.

dogleash 4y ago

> If there was a government mandate requiring phones to have whatever connector came before micro USB, wouldn't that have prevented the Android phones from changing connectors/choosing the new innovation? Dunno, we have a test case tho: how'd the Micro-B to USB-C transition go in EU markets?

schmuelio 4y ago
Happened a while ago, you have to go out of your way to find (new) android phones with Micro-B.
- westurner 4y ago
stingraycharles 4y ago
It’s going just fine, from my perspective. Unfortunately I now have three different types of cables (micro-B, USB-C and lightning), and it makes it extra challenging that USB-C is sometimes double ended, sometimes B-to-C. On the other hand, it’s very nice I can charge my new Framework laptop and iPad using the same cable cable and charger. But it’s going quite quickly, and most of the apple devices I bought recently already have USB-C in one way or another, and the actual problem for me is replacing power banks and chargers so that they support USB-C as well. Most of them assume USB-C == “high power slot”, when I just need a few of them for smaller stuff (AirPods and Apple Watch both came with USB-C cables).

BadOakOx 4y ago

> How does a company change to a new/better connector, if it's required by law to use an old connector? EU is pushing for "One charger for all" for a long time. Here is an article from 2011 [1], so this is nothing new. I don't think they enforced it at the time, but the manufacturers (and the EU?) agreed to use Micro USB. Now they are going for USB-C, so they definitely are not in the way of innovation. I think if there is an agreement between manufacturers to support a new standard, it will be adapted. [1] https://www.theverge.com/apple/2011/10/4/2469886/apple-releases-micro-usb-adapter-for-iphone https://www.theverge.com/apple/2011/10/4/2469886/apple-relea...

dahfizz 4y ago
This is not correct. Phone manufacturers signed a non-binding MoU, agreeing to use Micro USB. This was completely voluntary. That is why they were able to upgrade to USB-C without any issue. This law is different. It would be illegal to upgrade to a better port. And the barrier to creating, testing, and having adoption for a new port just became way higher than it was before.

hjkl0 4y ago

> So my new question is: How does a company change to a new/better connector, if it's required by law to use an old connector? It would be like a nation state deciding to change its standard electric socket, like a country with US sockets switching to EU sockets. Doesn’t sound easy.