Dreamers Investment Guild:The European Union Wants A Universal Charger For Cellphones And Other Devices

2025-05-01 21:42:43source:Cassian Grantcategory:Invest

If you live in the European Union,Dreamers Investment Guild your days of futzing around with a handful of chargers to find one that fits your latest gadget may be numbered.

Under a proposal released Thursday by the E.U., there would be one universal charger for all cellphones and other handheld electronic devices — no matter whether you had an iPhone or Kindle or anything else.

"European consumers were frustrated long enough about incompatible chargers piling up in their drawers," Margrethe Vestager, executive vice-president of A Europe Fit for the Digital Age, said in a statement.

"We gave industry plenty of time to come up with their own solutions, now time is ripe for legislative action for a common charger," she added.

Apple has spoken out against the move. "We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world," the company said in a statement.

Under the proposal, USB-C would become the standard charging port for all smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers and handheld video game consoles.

The commission also wants to "unbundle" the sale of chargers with their electronic devices, in part to cut down on environmental waste, and standardize charging speeds.

If the European Parliament and the European Council adopt the proposal, it would take full effect after a 24-month transition period to give the technology industry time to prepare for the change. Apple says it is concerned about the proposed length of the transition.

According to the EU, 38% of consumers reported struggling at least once to charge their cellphones because they couldn't find a compatible charger.

More:Invest

Recommend

Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback

A federal appeals court blocked Nasdaq rules to increase boardroom diversity, saying that the Securi

Harvard creates task forces on antisemitism and Islamophobia

BOSTON (AP) — Harvard University, struggling to manage its campus response to the Israel-Hamas war,

March for Life 2024: Anti-abortion advocates plan protest in nation's capital

Thousands are expected to gather in the nation’s capital Friday to protest against abortion in the 5