Just a little over every week in the past, the European Union reached an settlement that may require {hardware} manufactures to undertake a typical charger — particularly the USB-C commonplace — by 2024. Yesterday, a trio of Democratic senators despatched an open letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo urging that the US comply with swimsuit.
The letter, signed by Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey of Massachusetts, notes shopper frustration, prices and an uptick in e-waste, owing to the proliferation of various charging cables. The letter particularly cites a determine from the EU, noting that chargers alone account for round 11,000 tons of e-waste a yr.
“This coverage has the potential to considerably cut back e-waste and assist customers who’re bored with having to rummage by way of junk drawers stuffed with tangled chargers to discover a appropriate one, or purchase a brand new one,” the lawmakers notice. “The EU has correctly acted within the public curiosity by taking over highly effective expertise corporations over this shopper and environmental subject. The US ought to do the identical.”
USB-C has, in fact, been extensively adopted by quite a few producers throughout the business. There are, nonetheless, some holdouts, which both proceed to make use of older requirements like micro-USB or depend on their very own proprietary ports. Apple’s iPhone is probably the most notable instance of the latter. Whereas the corporate has adopted USB-C for MacBooks and iPads, its telephones proceed to sport the first-party Lightning cable.
Such laws would require the corporate transfer to USB-C. The upcoming iPhone 14 is rumored to sport Lightning, whereas rumors level to the arrival of USB-C for subsequent yr’s Professional fashions.