- cross-posted to:
- europe@zerobytes.monster
- cross-posted to:
- europe@zerobytes.monster
All mobile phones, tablets, earphones and a wide range of other portable consumer electronics will need to be sold with USB-C charging ports from Saturday, the EU has announced.
First introduced around a decade ago, USB-C charging ports are reversible and capable of accelerated data transfer and charging speeds, the latter known as 'fast charging’.
In a statement on Friday, the European Parliament said that as of the following day, all such devices sold in the EU must have a USB-C charging port, with laptops set to follow suit in late April 2026.
Hasn’t Apple maintained their standard longer, and therefore has more chargers likely already available to those that have chosen their ecosystem? It’s not their fault the others didn’t adopt their standard either.
Apples lightening has been around for a while, but so has USB-C. Don’t forget that Apple was really the first to go all in on USB-C on their laptops so this isn’t something unachievable for them. The big thing to me is that the EU is only forcing phones, laptops and earphones on this rather than making most small devices compatible with type C. Type C has a ton of built in support for other devices but we still allow shitty manufacturing to build barrel plug based devices when they really should switch.
While I agree with the USB-C standard, I have wishes. It’s a compromised design which is the best of a challenging dynamic existence. Extension are an example.
With that said, I work with a wide range of instruments. The Variation of DC standard is important for the conditions that they need. 12V, vs 24, vs 5v and the amperage. So while I hate barrel, I would rather have them then the USB-C give the dumb nature of the barrels. The negotiated power is challenging as a universal when you need reliability in harsh conditions. (Which the world really is when you step out of cities.)
but theyre also the one who uses seperate chargers even between their own devices. e.g their laptops tablets were USB-C while their phones beforehand were thunderbolt. There was really no reason to arbitrary keep both alive when the company itself already uses the standard
iPads have USB-C ports… but only on the chargers, not the devices. (Maybe not the newest models) Like, WTF!? So they’re paying to use the standard on the only part of the charging equation people don’t really care about. Then using Lightning on the iPad itself…
I have a white C to C that came with a phone, and a white C to lightning that came with the headphones. Please just make them all C
pros, minis, and modern airs used usb-c, the base ipad was the last to move off it. the fact that the tablet line is split is completely nonsense.
Because needs change as technology changes.
Lmao you can’t actually make lightning chargers, they are proprietary. Apple wouldn’t want to use the same charger everyone else uses(and manufactures), as that would hurt their bottom line. So it is ABSOLUTELY their fault others didn’t adopt their standard, and lightning is shit anyway.
Good job! I got pwned!
Uhm why are you complaining here? Thunderbolt (intel and apple) is compatible with USB-C. And also sucks to be apple for always having an extra and refusing to use USB specifications. They are the ONLY ONE who are solely on thunderbolt. Reminds you of Firewire?
And why is Europe intervening here (Europe isnt a government btw) to dictate consumer friendly practices. For example remember when every Phone had its own Charging Port? Reduced to Micro-USB.