Mobile phone chargers to be standardised under EU law

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

I have a very small, simple handset that consumes very little power and offers very limited facilities (viz I can make and receive mobile calls),

 

As a result it requires very little current to charge it and thus a small capacity charger.

 

Other folks like to have more computing power than Cape Canaveral in their phone.

Consequently their charging requirements are significantly larger than mine and this requiress much more substantial ( and expensive and resource wasteful) charging equipment.

I do not begrudge them this.

 

However I would be strongly against being forced to pay for and support charging equipment capable of doing things I do not want or need in order to charge my phone.

I would hope that they intend to standardize the connectors, rather than the physical charger. You can already buy micro-USB chargers with varying power ratings, for instance; makers of phones like yours can supply a micro-USB charger with a low power rating, but you can also plug the phone into a big beefy charger for a more powerful phone, since the connector is identical.

[studiot]

Another issue.

 

My phone requires one charging voltage.

My personal training logger requires another.

My personal camera/projector yet another.

...

...

etc

 

 

So should each of these use the same connector and risk cross connection?

 

Or should we force every device to use the same charging voltage?

 

 

 

Devices of the world unite against the oppressive state!!!

 

 

Edit some more press on this subject : Note the dates of these when you visit the links.

Micro usb charger unsafe?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-22832162

 

specifications

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12093013

 

Current report

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24726077

Edited March 14, 2014 by studiot

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

So should each of these use the same connector and risk cross connection?

 

Or should we force every device to use the same charging voltage?

USB delivers five volts, so everything will use the same charging voltage. That's not terribly bad -- there's a huge quantity of electronics already designed to be powered by 5V USB power.

[StringJunky]

If all devices could eventually be charged by induction there won't be any need for physical interface standards.

[John Cuthber]

Another issue.

 

My phone requires one charging voltage.

My personal training logger requires another.

My personal camera/projector yet another.

...

...

etc

 

 

So should each of these use the same connector and risk cross connection?

 

Or should we force every device to use the same charging voltage?

 

 

 

Devices of the world unite against the oppressive state!!!

 

 

Edit some more press on this subject : Note the dates of these when you visit the links.

Micro usb charger unsafe?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-22832162

 

specifications

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12093013

 

Current report

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24726077

The EU is not planning to legislate for equipment you already own.

So

your new phone requires one charging voltage.

your new personal training logger requires the same

your new personal camera/projector requires the same again.

Edited March 14, 2014 by John Cuthber

[Marshalscienceguy]

I am delighted that finally an EU law will force phone manufacturers to provide a standardized charger that works with all phones. Earlier attempts with a letter of intent (.pdf warning), which was drafted in 2009, and was supposed to lead to a standardized charger by 2013, lead to absolutely nothing, since there were no consequences to a failure to comply. The new law may simply make it illegal to sell phones without standardized charger.

 

Nowadays, phone chargers can cost as much as 40 euro if a replacement is needed... which is quite a lot of money considering I have a drawer full of obsolete chargers.

 

I think this is a great example how you sometimes have to regulate a market, and not let the market regulate itself. Sometimes you need a stick, not a carrot. I applaud the EU for taking this initiative. Hopefully it will save us all some money, and resources in the future.

 

Perhaps I should have posted this in the news section, but I hope that some of you are going to attack the interferences of the EU so we can have a political debate about it.

I have noticed this with my phones. Whenever I lost a cord I can use an old cord for it. This is very convenient and I think its a lot less hassle than needing a specialized cord for all your electronic devices and all upgrades.