Are we finally going to see a charger that works for all mobile phones? I hope so

I’m all for the news that the European Commission is pushing for a new rule that chargers for mobile phones (and other small electronic devices) become standardised.

If it makes it through the various steps then it could be enacted in 2022, with manufacturers likely to be given another two years to adapt. There has been a push for a common charger for more than a decade, with legislators saying that it would reduce waste and be beneficial for consumers. As someone who is constantly forgetting the right charger for devices that I am using, I would be happy to have conformity. It is also an issue that we have had letters on over the years, with tales of frustration from readers about hunting for the right leads to stop devices turning off at inopportune times.

In terms of the stats – half the chargers sold with mobile phones in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, while 29 per cent had a USB-C connector and 21 per cent a Lightning connector (used by Apple), according to a study by the European Commission released in 2019. Apple has started to use USB-C in some products, and may continue to expand that, but I still think it is worth doing. Apple has suggested that it could stifle innovation – but I struggle to believe that the move towards commonality would have that greater impact in this case.

Some readers will no doubt think that the European Commission should be concentrating on other matters – and there is obviously an argument for that. But these types of common-sense changes can be important. And if it does have an impact on waste then that can only be a good thing for the environment – which would then be a good thing for us all.

I’d be interested in hearing if readers agree.

Yours,

Chris Stevenson

Editor, Voices