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USB-C for your gadgets is not a good regulation. The hurdle to adopting anything better is probably too high to overcome now.

by jmull 1y ago

t-writescode 1y ago
I hear your concerns, but the future is probably wireless charging and wifi communication
Something1234 1y ago
What would be the next better feature for a plug? It seems USB-C has it all except for being expensive on the port side with the muxers. Anything different would require tossing a bunch of still useful things. It supports fast charging and good data rates.
- SOLAR_FIELDS 1y ago
  The protocol was flawed in its design in that it does not standardize or communicate the capabilities of the cable. How do I know whether it’s charging only, data, or thunderbolt? No standard way to understand this
- MoltenMan 1y ago
  That's the entire problem though, isn't it? Now we'll never know. The one thing I can think of off the top of my head is some sort of magnetic connection similar to macbook chargers to prevent damage when the cord gets pulled out. (Also I would like the USB-3 standard to not suck, but that's never happening and doesn't relate to the physical hardware anyways)
  - TrainedMonkey 1y ago
    > That's the entire problem though, isn't it? Now we'll never know. There are definitely a lot of harmful regulation, but this one is amazing with close to no downsides. For one, there are magnetic adapters for everything nowadays, including USB-C ports so you can have your cake and eat it too. Second is the environmental impact of the old charger ecosystem. I lost count of how many cables and chargers I have that are now trash^1. Third one is that historically standardizing interfaces was great for innovation. ^1: Here is the various USB e-waste that I have - usb micro C (2 separate types with same name), micro usb super speed (this one is particularly cursed), mini-usb types A and B, and normal USB type A and type B.
    - arp242 1y ago
      > Here is the various USB e-waste that I have - usb micro C (2 separate types with same name), micro usb super speed (this one is particularly cursed), mini-usb types A and B, and normal USB type A and type B. Catch just two more and you can challenge the USB trainer in Viridian City!
- pabs3 1y ago
  MagSafe?
dijksterhuis 1y ago
> fewer chargers, less e‑waste, less drawer chaos. care to mention what negates those things to make it a “not good” regulation? as a consumer, i think it’s a good thing to not need Nx different charging cables / plugs to go away for a weekend. usb-c is basically the de-facto standard for charging all but apple devices anyway. hardware manufacturers might have a different opinions/motivations (but that was kind of the point really wasn’t it)
- arp242 1y ago
  Everything seemed to have been moving towards USB-C regardless for a few years now, so it seems somewhat superfluous at this point in time? Apple was a major holdout though, due to Apple reasons. Not strongly against it as such, but also not entirely convinced it's needed either.
  - MrJohz 1y ago
    That sounds like it wasn't superfluous, because it convinced s major holdout to change, no?
    - arp242 1y ago
      Well I did say "somewhat superfluous", not "entirely superfluous" :-) This is where the up- and down-sides need to be considered. Everyone moved from micro-USB to USB-3 because it was easier and better, and this will now be harder (not impossible, as another comment says, this is supposed to be evaluated 5 years). There may also be special cases where there's a good reason to use something other than USB-C Is that a big problem? Maybe not? I don't know.
  - fph 1y ago
    Everything has been moving towards USB-C precisely because of this regulation, duh. Manufacturers want to continue selling in Europe.
    - arp242 1y ago
abdullahkhalids 1y ago
The relevant commission is supposed to re-assess and come up with new recommendations every 5 years. If someone comes up with a better method for charging, they can get all the big device manufacturers in the room, convince most of them that the new method is better, and then the commission will likely adopt a new standard. This is not far-fetched. All the players relevant to internet, for example, collaborate to determine how web standards should evolve. It works pretty well. It's more or less the same companies who need to collaborate to build something better than USB-C.
- jules 1y ago
  There should be no need whatsoever to convince your competitors and/or bureaucrats that allowing your new connector to be produced is in their interest. Only one should be convinced: the person buying the device.
  - skylurk 1y ago
    If Apple made both USB-C and Lightning variants and let people choose: then sure, let the market decide. In reality an oligopoly was stuck in a crappy stalemate and people had only compromised options. Carrying two sets of wires everywhere sucked.
  - Epa095 1y ago
    We tried that for 40 years. The result is drawers full of chargers. But clearly there is a price for the standardisation, it makes progress slower. On the other hand it makes everyone's lifes easier. Just as with e.g electrical outlets in the house there is a time for exploration and innovation, and there is a time for standardisation. And we are ready for standardisation now, USB-c is good enough.
    - wqaatwt 1y ago
      > We tried that for 40 years. The result is drawers full of chargers. Which is a fine? The industry eventually converged to just a handful of common standards on its own. You can’t innovate without being able to experiment. Which is only possible if there are actual people using your product. Thinking that a committee of bureaucrats can replace that is silly.
zosima 1y ago
Most of these are bad for most people. They do something superficially useful, but ultimately blocks innovation and small companies and so leads to large companies being protected from competition.
ozgrakkurt 1y ago
They should have let apple continue selling garbage connectors so I can’t use my wife’s phone adapter to charge my phone. and have to buy an iphone charger because it is better(not)

USB-C for your gadgets is not a good regulation. The hurdle to adopting anything better is probably too high to overcome now.

by jmull 1y ago

USB-C for your gadgets is not a good regulation. The hurdle to adopting anything better is probably too high to overcome now.

t-writescode 1y ago

I hear your concerns, but the future is probably wireless charging and wifi communication

Something1234 1y ago

What would be the next better feature for a plug? It seems USB-C has it all except for being expensive on the port side with the muxers. Anything different would require tossing a bunch of still useful things. It supports fast charging and good data rates.

SOLAR_FIELDS 1y ago
The protocol was flawed in its design in that it does not standardize or communicate the capabilities of the cable. How do I know whether it’s charging only, data, or thunderbolt? No standard way to understand this
MoltenMan 1y ago
That's the entire problem though, isn't it? Now we'll never know. The one thing I can think of off the top of my head is some sort of magnetic connection similar to macbook chargers to prevent damage when the cord gets pulled out. (Also I would like the USB-3 standard to not suck, but that's never happening and doesn't relate to the physical hardware anyways)
- TrainedMonkey 1y ago
  > That's the entire problem though, isn't it? Now we'll never know. There are definitely a lot of harmful regulation, but this one is amazing with close to no downsides. For one, there are magnetic adapters for everything nowadays, including USB-C ports so you can have your cake and eat it too. Second is the environmental impact of the old charger ecosystem. I lost count of how many cables and chargers I have that are now trash^1. Third one is that historically standardizing interfaces was great for innovation. ^1: Here is the various USB e-waste that I have - usb micro C (2 separate types with same name), micro usb super speed (this one is particularly cursed), mini-usb types A and B, and normal USB type A and type B.
  - arp242 1y ago
    > Here is the various USB e-waste that I have - usb micro C (2 separate types with same name), micro usb super speed (this one is particularly cursed), mini-usb types A and B, and normal USB type A and type B. Catch just two more and you can challenge the USB trainer in Viridian City!
pabs3 1y ago
MagSafe?

dijksterhuis 1y ago

> fewer chargers, less e‑waste, less drawer chaos. care to mention what negates those things to make it a “not good” regulation? as a consumer, i think it’s a good thing to not need Nx different charging cables / plugs to go away for a weekend. usb-c is basically the de-facto standard for charging all but apple devices anyway. hardware manufacturers might have a different opinions/motivations (but that was kind of the point really wasn’t it)

arp242 1y ago
Everything seemed to have been moving towards USB-C regardless for a few years now, so it seems somewhat superfluous at this point in time? Apple was a major holdout though, due to Apple reasons. Not strongly against it as such, but also not entirely convinced it's needed either.
- MrJohz 1y ago
  That sounds like it wasn't superfluous, because it convinced s major holdout to change, no?
  - arp242 1y ago
    Well I did say "somewhat superfluous", not "entirely superfluous" :-) This is where the up- and down-sides need to be considered. Everyone moved from micro-USB to USB-3 because it was easier and better, and this will now be harder (not impossible, as another comment says, this is supposed to be evaluated 5 years). There may also be special cases where there's a good reason to use something other than USB-C Is that a big problem? Maybe not? I don't know.
- fph 1y ago
  Everything has been moving towards USB-C precisely because of this regulation, duh. Manufacturers want to continue selling in Europe.
  - arp242 1y ago

abdullahkhalids 1y ago

The relevant commission is supposed to re-assess and come up with new recommendations every 5 years. If someone comes up with a better method for charging, they can get all the big device manufacturers in the room, convince most of them that the new method is better, and then the commission will likely adopt a new standard. This is not far-fetched. All the players relevant to internet, for example, collaborate to determine how web standards should evolve. It works pretty well. It's more or less the same companies who need to collaborate to build something better than USB-C.

jules 1y ago
There should be no need whatsoever to convince your competitors and/or bureaucrats that allowing your new connector to be produced is in their interest. Only one should be convinced: the person buying the device.
- skylurk 1y ago
  If Apple made both USB-C and Lightning variants and let people choose: then sure, let the market decide. In reality an oligopoly was stuck in a crappy stalemate and people had only compromised options. Carrying two sets of wires everywhere sucked.
- Epa095 1y ago
  We tried that for 40 years. The result is drawers full of chargers. But clearly there is a price for the standardisation, it makes progress slower. On the other hand it makes everyone's lifes easier. Just as with e.g electrical outlets in the house there is a time for exploration and innovation, and there is a time for standardisation. And we are ready for standardisation now, USB-c is good enough.
  - wqaatwt 1y ago
    > We tried that for 40 years. The result is drawers full of chargers. Which is a fine? The industry eventually converged to just a handful of common standards on its own. You can’t innovate without being able to experiment. Which is only possible if there are actual people using your product. Thinking that a committee of bureaucrats can replace that is silly.

zosima 1y ago

Most of these are bad for most people. They do something superficially useful, but ultimately blocks innovation and small companies and so leads to large companies being protected from competition.

ozgrakkurt 1y ago

They should have let apple continue selling garbage connectors so I can’t use my wife’s phone adapter to charge my phone. and have to buy an iphone charger because it is better(not)