USB-C Chargers Are the Future: European Union Signs Common Charging Standard Into Law

[TheLostSwede]

From 2024, all mobile devices in the European Union will have to use USB-C as the standard charging port, courtesy of a new law that was passed by the European Parliament. This means that mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems and earbuds, all have to sport a USB-C port for charging in the near future. Many of these devices already do, with the main exception being Apple, although many lower-end devices still rely on micro USB, due to the lower cost. The European Parliament voted 602 in favour of the new law, with only 13 parliamentarians being against and eight that abstained, which shows that most EU nations were in favour of the move.

From 2026, laptops which adhere to the USB PD 3.0 standard, i.e. up to 100 Watts, will be required to charge via USB-C as well. As such, it seems like the EU didn't enforce support for USB PD 3.1, which goes up to 240 Watts. The EU is also planning on enforcing a common wireless charging standard, which is expected to come into effect by the end of 2024. It's not clear which standard will be chosen, but it's highly likely to be the Qi standard, as it's the most commonly used wireless charging standard.



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[Owen1982]

Bravo!

 

[Xex360]

I believe all new smartphones are using type C, only some feature phones still don't use type C. On laptops though this will help greatly.

 

[TheLostSwede]

I believe all new smartphones are using type C, only some feature phones still don't use type C. On laptops though this will help greatly.

Apple relies on their proprietarty lightning port. Several budget models of smartphones still have micro USB.

 

[Wirko]

The next step should be a law that limits the idle power consumption of all small chargers. Everyone has a bunch of them, and many are never disconnected from the mains.

 

[Chaitanya]

Still 0 word on standardization of electrical/charging standards while they continue to peddle as if USB-C port is the solution to mess of cables we live in.

 

[Dimestore]

The problem is that a lot of cheaper devices don't support C2C charging. This means they swapped out a micro port for a C port without the requisite resistors to tell a C charger to provide power, and thus only a USBA-USBC will work to charge it. I am sure you have encountered such a device and gone WTF? Hopefully though, this mandate will cause people to realize how terrible this design is an force companies to change it.

 

[NC37]

Absolutely pointless at this point. EU proving once again it's existence is irrelevant. The market already decided and Apple is transitioning too.

 

[TheLostSwede]

The next step should be a law that limits the idle power consumption of all small chargers. Everyone has a bunch of them, and many are never disconnected from the mains.

Most GaN chargers are quite efficient, but the lower Wattage ones have no or poor power factor correction, which isn't ideal, since even small GaN chargers can pull quite a lot of power.
That said, most small chargers/power adapters today are quite efficient.
If you're interested, this guy tests a lof of chargers, he has even tested some older models if you want to compare.

https://www.youtube.com/c/AllThingsOnePlace

The problem is that a lot of cheaper devices don't support C2C charging. This means they swapped out a micro port for a C port without the requisite resistors to tell a C charger to provide power, and thus only a USBA-USBC will work to charge it. I am sure you have encountered such a device and gone WTF? Hopefully though, this mandate will cause people to realize how terrible this design is an force companies to change it.

The new EU law requires USB PD compatible charging, so it has to be C-C.

 

[bug]

I loved it how Apple, the greatest offender, argued against this because... wait for it... it would create more waste when people would have to give up their Apple chargers. And I'm glad the EU had the balls to tell them to go suck a lemon.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Absolutely pointless at this point. EU proving once again it's existence is irrelevant. The market already decided and Apple is transitioning too.

How so? Loads of devices still lack USB-C. It might be "pointless" for phones, but did you see the list of other devices that have to adhere to using USB-C for charging as well?

I loved it how Apple, the greatest offender, argued against this because... wait for it... it would create more waste when people would have to give up their Apple chargers. And I'm glad the EU had the balls to tell them to go suck a lemon.

The funny thing is that Apple's chargers have used USB-C/Thunderbolt ports for quite some time, so it's just their phones and a few tablets that don't already follow the new regulation. Makes you wonder...

 

[bug]

The funny thing is that Apple's chargers have used USB-C/Thunderbolt ports for quite some time, so it's just their phones and a few tablets that don't already follow the new regulation. Makes you wonder...

I believe the moment they can't charge $20 for a 50cm/20" USB cable, a lot of their revenue will be lost. At the same time, I'm pretty sure between now and 2024, they have plenty of time to think about how can they screw the users anyway.

 

[Valantar]

Still 0 word on standardization of electrical/charging standards while they continue to peddle as if USB-C port is the solution to mess of cables we live in.

That's not true, this law mandates USB-PD support. Manufacturers can still implement their own proprietary nonsense on top of this, but they must also support PD.

The next step should be a law that limits the idle power consumption of all small chargers. Everyone has a bunch of them, and many are never disconnected from the mains.

AFAIK EU charger efficiency requirements have had stipulations for no-load power draw for a long, long time. At least since 2009.

Edit: according to the current EU requirement ("Level VI", or EU Commission regulation 2019/1782), external AC-DC power supplies with an output power below 50W can at most consume .1W with no load connected, and those with an output power at or above 50W can at most consume .21W with no load connected. If I'm reading this correctly, this regulation also bans the sale of non-Level VI-compliant chargers in the EU since April 1st 2020.

Vampire power is definitely a thing, but it's massively overblown as a problem, at least in somewhat regulated areas. (And there are some "reports" on its magnitude and cost that are nothing more than weird propaganda by other polluting industries trying to shift attention away from themselves.)

 

[Kissamies]

I believe all new smartphones are using type C, only some feature phones still don't use type C. On laptops though this will help greatly.

Nope as I'm an iPhone user.

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

Nope as I'm an iPhone user.

I think he meant type c on the wall side.

 

[Kissamies]

I think he meant type c on the wall side.

Ah. Personally I don't see a reason why it should be C on the charger as A is fine. But well, nobody asked me though.

 

[Xex360]

Apple relies on their proprietarty lightning port. Several budget models of smartphones still have micro USB.

Oh year forgot about those extremely cheap smartphones.
Apple though makes feature phones.

 

[Kissamies]

Apple though makes feature phones.

Oh, because they don't put as much RAM as a desktop OC for their OS to run smoothly? Oh wait, iOS doesn't need that much RAM..

 

[bug]

Ah. Personally I don't see a reason why it should be C on the charger as A is fine. But well, nobody asked me though.

Anything that's not USB-C is deprecated starting with USB 3.2. Plus, I don't think USB-A has the pins for USB-PD anyway.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Ah. Personally I don't see a reason why it should be C on the charger as A is fine. But well, nobody asked me though.

None USB-C receptacles and connectors weren't designed for anything above 5V/1.5A-ish.
USB-C can do 48V/5A.

 

[Guwapo77]

I don't know how I feel about this as tech changes way too damn fast for there to be a "standard" plug. How long before USB-D is out that provides 200 times the bandwidth and 1000W charging?

 

[windwhirl]

None USB-C receptacles and connectors weren't designed for anything above 5V/1.5A-ish.
USB-C can do 48V/5A.

You meant Type A there, I think

I don't know how I feel about this as tech changes way too damn fast for there to be a "standard" plug. How long before USB-D is out that provides 200 times the bandwidth and 1000W charging?

That's a good point, though I suppose the EU will have someone looking into that and proposing modifications to the regulation as needed.

 

[Frick]

Personally I miss the simple but very good barrel connector for laptops.

I don't know how I feel about this as tech changes way too damn fast for there to be a "standard" plug. How long before USB-D is out that provides 200 times the bandwidth and 1000W charging?

1000W charging for phones and laptops (which this is about, it's not meant to replace connectors for forklifts) does not sound practically useful.

 

[TheLostSwede]

You meant Type A there, I think

No, but it was a double negative sentence, which I guess was poor form.

Personally I miss the simple but very good barrel connector for laptops.

Except many of those ended up being very thin and flimsy, with a tiny pin in the middle, which made them easy to break.

1000W charging for phones and laptops (which this is about, it's not meant to replace connectors for forklifts) does not sound practically useful.

1kW, I don't think so...

 

[trsttte]

Absolutely pointless at this point. EU proving once again it's existence is irrelevant. The market already decided and Apple is transitioning too.

Market was being too slow with too many devices still making use of the older micro and even mini USB in some cases (a standard that also had to be mandated). Apple for it's side is only moving (or will only move) because it has not choice. Latest iPhone still uses the stupid lightning connector, everything else (mac, ipads) moved to USB-C because thunderbolt. Chargers moved to usb-c in a show of malicious compliance with previous rules.

EU proves once again that, although it doesn't act nearly as fast as it should, it still has some teeth.

Apple's chargers have used USB-C/Thunderbolt ports for quite some time

Chargers moved to usb-c in a show of malicious compliance with previous rules. They could have ditched lightning completely at the exact same time but they choose not to.

I don't know how I feel about this as tech changes way too damn fast for there to be a "standard" plug. How long before USB-D is out that provides 200 times the bandwidth and 1000W charging?

They have a provision to move to a new standard once that exists. But USB-C is here to stay for the next couple years at least, no reason to continue shipping stuff with older connectors out of corporate lazyness.