@EU_Commission Audio via USB mandatory? 🤔

@EU_Commission that's great but it's not just wires. Nearly everywhere the producers are building special parts.

Not even the screws for a wheel of a car are the same. Planed obsolescence are by Design everywhere. New products are getting worser evry month. Clothes, Shoes no matter what, everything out of plastic and trash.

@EU_Commission that's great, but in my experience what leads to this mess is some cables being for data transfer only, some for charging only, some for both. that needs to go away.

@EU_Commission now, how about a common charger and connection for power tools and domestic appliances?

@EU_Commission does that include portable shavers?
Asking for a friend, obvs

@EU_Commission
This is just the kind of practical, positive legislation that #EU is for. We in the #UK hate that, so we chose the path of 3rd world, banana Republic. We actually pay our politicians to burn useless legislations like this. And support coal and oil. And build more nuclear weapons. And destroy our world leading health system.

All praise #brexit then...

@EU_Commission You know that your picture only show the cable mess. There is no charger here. And in fact I can already use the same charger for all my devices, by only changing the cable, and sometimes it comes with little adapters.

This law is a good thing, but :

1 - when it was created we were using mini (or micro usb), if it would have worked, would we but stuck with these bad connectors ?
2 - communication is key, we speak of the device connector, not charger

@EU_Commission thank youuu! Heaven to the ears of mac users 😄👍

@EU_Commission I would agree for charging. But your graphic shows a 3.5mm audio plug.

The removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack was anti-consumer. It forces people to buy expensive wireless headphones. You *can* buy wired phones that go in the charging socket - but then (imagine being on a long train journey) you cannot charge and listen at the same time.

I think a separate headphone jack should be a requirement

@EU_Commission Standardization is great for all these reasons and more.

Apple and other tech giants hate it because they don’t get to sell ludicrously expensive licenses to accessory manufacturers and, of course, it makes it a little easier for us to move to other hardware.

@EU_Commission non era sen tempo.

@EU_Commission https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/30/22702453/usb-c-pd-240-watt-charging-usb4-data-transfer-logo-branding-standard
🤣

@EU_Commission that's a step in the right direction, but it's by no means the grand solution you portray here.

There's cables that support different USB-PD power rates( 20V3A and 20V5A, ...), cables that support different data transfer rate(3 / 3.1 G1, 3.2 G2, ...).

Not all of this is currently advertised, and even when it is, sometimes it doesn't match reality (e.g. cables rated 20V5A that really supports only 20V3A).

@EU_Commission this is awesome! Finally

@EU_Commission how about all the devices that i still own and have other connections. Do i have to switch them to new ones?

@EU_Commission the chances of your desk ever looking like the right even after usb-c :P, never gonna happen

@EU_Commission @joshbuchea It’s convenient but I fear we won’t have any future improvement until the “legislator” will decide to change the law.

@EU_Commission quand tu vois la gestion du truc c’est peut être pas le meilleur…

@EU_Commission
And the change from the previous Chinese USB-micro was permitted years ago because ... ?

Standardisation is years overdue.

Thanks, but we've been waiting over a decade for your damn bus to arrive.

@EU_Commission

To clarify, that’s year’s end 2024. Not January.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220930IPR41928/long-awaited-common-charger-for-mobile-devices-will-be-a-reality-in-2024

@EU_Commission Does this not stifle innovation for charging technology. Are you saying we've reached the pinnacle of power ports (i.e. like the UK mains plug and socket) and we should forever be stuck at C?

@EU_Commission how does it reduce e-waste that I have to replace dozens of cables and buy dozens of adapters now?

Incompetent clowns. All you're doing is line the accessory industry's pockets.

@EU_Commission Great, so likely stuck with a standard that will be surpassed by a better standard in a few years. Let's hope the EU keeps pace with innovation over bureaucracy!

@EU_Commission I don't like that you put a headphone jack on the left side in the graphic. They're simple and effective and have their place. Also, I know of no phones with two USB-C ports as would be needed to listen & charge simultaneously.

@EU_Commission Excellent news!

@EU_Commission THANK YOU this is just what everyone needed! No proprietary bullshit anymore!

🤍🤍🤍

@EU_Commission I don't get it. You enforce ports, conclude on less chargers (how is this correlated?), and show a mess that includes an audio cable (no more jack?).

@Cassana @EU_Commission So it means that you would be able to charge your Iphone with the same charger you charge an android phone with?

@EU_Commission What will happen when a technology better than USB-C comes together?

I wonder how it will work as all the devices will be using USB-C. Switching would not only take some time because of the laws but would also generate some e-waste as now we would have TWO ports

@EU_Commission While this might seem great in the short term, what when someone will come up with a better cable? They won't be able to sell it. This law is slowing down innovation in name of a bit of convenience in the short term. And if you don't like the lighting cable there's a thing called competition , just don't buy Apple products.

@EU_Commission

SUCH a good thing to do!

@EU_Commission That’s a lie, the usb-C cable needs to have knots in it, because all cable will always have knots.

@EU_Commission I've actually been wondering about this: does this mean USB-C Power Delivery has to be supported or has to be the only option?

My laptop broke down and being over 5 years old I decided to get a new one which turned out to have a proprietary charging port but also USB-C Power Delivery. Would this be allowed under the new rules? Are there technical reasons why this would even ever be necessary (like, are there technical limits on how much power USB-C PD can provide)?

@EU_Commission do EV chargers next.

The standard should have been set from day 1. Tesla are already positioning themselves to be the apple of the EV world through charger licensing.

@EU_Commission that is if you buy new devices. I plan to use mine for a long long time

Thank you, @EU_Commission , for a pragmatic solution that I like :)

@EU_Commission
Oh yeah?
And now I have the following USB-C cables:
1) USB-C for charging. But it doesn't work for data transferring.
2) USB-C for data transferring. But it doesn't work for connecting monitors.
3) USB-C for connecting monitors.
And visually they are almost identical. Their price is the only difference.
Thanks for that! (NO!)

@EU_Commission
The speculation I've seen is that Apple will sidestep this by removing ports from their phones entirely.

@EU_Commission@social.network.europa.eu
Product designers: "Hey, so we need only one port for everything."
Users: "So, where do I plug in my headphones while charging?"

Don't get my wron. I'm a big fan of standards, and this one is no exception. I'm just frustrated of product designers ruining everything.

@EU_Commission thank goodness! No more Apple specific cables.

@EU_Commission

https://xkcd.com/927/

@EU_Commission Instead we’ll have a dozen or more different cables that all appear visually identical but support the half dozen different USB-C speed standards, and a range of maximum currents. Not looking forward to having to support this shitshow.

@EU_Commission This is really awesome news, although I’ll admit I’ve literally NEVER had a problem getting affordable Lightning cables to charge my phone, but the idea that the ever janky USB-Mini is going to have to defer to type-C is pretty nifty.

@EU_Commission

Great decision!

@EU_Commission
“Not only will this make your life easier, but it will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and e-waste. “
I’ve yet to see compelling evidence that this will be the case.

I have many many devices and have never sound charge cables made my life difficult. We will see an ewaste bump with this as many cables and chargers become no longer useful.

@EU_Commission Ha!

Would Apple also agree or do they just pay the fine? Since its cheaper

@EU_Commission so if everything has a usb-c port how is this in any way going to cut down on the amount of cables and chargers exactly?

@EU_Commission @stux Apple already said that their USB-C will have the chip inside to ensure security and safety. That means a generic USB-C won’t work on your iPhone. Ask anyone who tried a generic Apple’s charging cable today about the experience.

@EU_Commission Apple complained that it will produce more e-waste for them because they use Lightning for 10+ years now 😂

@EU_Commission

@EU_Commission What about all the e-waste when all the iPhone owners throw out their Lightning cables? Good luck.

@EU_Commission Oh sure. Let’s freeze technology at 2014 levels. And all the cables people already have that are obsoleted by this? Nope, no e-waste there. 🙄

Appreciate the sentiment, but please leave technology decisions to people who have a clue.

@EU_Commission USB-C is less than 10 years old. What happens if somebody develops something better?

@EU_Commission

Perhaps you prefer USB C. I’ve been charging my devices with a Lightning cable or a microUSB (AKA Samsung) cable for decades.

I prefer the thinner phone enabled with a Lightning or micro USB cable, thank you

European patriarchic culture vetoes consumer demand, again

@EU_Commission

was noch viel mehr Elektroschrott sparen würde wäre der verpflichtend festgelegte Akku der immer ohne viel aufwand zu wechseln sein muss.

@EU_Commission This won’t make my life easier, because my family has only one type of device. It will increase waste, because it will render all of our current cables useless.

@EU_Commission
Less little dongly things!

@EU_Commission The EU lawmakers once again proving that its more "ahead of the curve" than the US ever could be.

@EU_Commission How about standard, interchangeable batteries for mobile phones so a good battery from a broken phone will be able to power your new phone, reducing battery waste.

@EU_Commission

Amazing! Love it!

@EU_Commission It produces less greenhouse gases, if I keep all the different cables and old devices.

@EU_Commission it’s really cool, but not all USB-C cables are create equal, for charging, sure, that’ll do it, but they all support different software features, so for other usages, people will likely have multiple cables of different qualities.

But still, that’s a great step forward.
Hopefully that’s the last format will ever need.

@EU_Commission As with so many EU regulations, one hopes that companies realize the inefficiency of making one version for the EU and another for the rest of the world, so the rest of us can benefit from these changes, too.

@EU_Commission One port to rule them all. (No, not the wine variant).

@EU_Commission thank god civilization holds out in the EU kinda.

@EU_Commission IMO this is a misleading post, especially the graphic, which features an Apple 30-pin connector which hasn’t been sold on a new device in around a decade.

What this legislation will mean is that I have to dispose of 14 years worth of Lightning cables, docks, and accessories then purchase new USB type C equivalents.

@EU_Commission
So that big rat's nest on the left multiplied by all EU Citizens will now become e-waste? Plus all the wall warts they used to charge. Plus all the devices. In order to be uniform and actually gain the benefits of the 'After' life, you'll need all new devices with USB-C ports.
I think USB-C is great, of course, but I don't think being Green is actually a selling point for it.
Quite the reverse, obviously.
@claudiom

@EU_Commission thank you 🙏. More of this sort of thing please 👍👏😊!

@EU_Commission This is great. Except I have a USB-C tablet that won't charge from my phone's USB-C charger, and my USB-C phone won't charge from my tablet's USB-C charger.

The "U" stands for "universal", of course. But if all it means is "can be physically plugged into any other USB-C port", that ain't worth much.

@EU_Commission
@CorioPsicologia

Veo que la UE no conoce cómo soy yo para enredar cables, aunque solo sea uno 😅😅😅

@EU_Commission How do you ensure, that the manufacturer of my currently-in-used electronics upgrades my devices with an USB-C port? Or do I have to buy everything AGAIN? 🙄

@EU_Commission @isotopp Not all cables are "good", not all chargers are "good". It's up to us to find out. There's a LOT to be done. It's just a start. We need to fix USB c at the end.

@EU_Commission But how will #Apple make money if they can't license/sell proprietary accessories? 🙂

@EU_Commission The EU is so far ahead of the US in this. But maaaaaaaaaaybe we'll benefit?

@EU_Commission The #EU is the world champion in solving non-problems while leaving big, and existential problems unsolved.
#FEU #dkexit

@EU_Commission Not so fast, EU! While I support the change, don't oversell this. Not all USB-C cables are alike. Cable thickness and insulation is important for higher charging requirements (e.g. 60W charge for a laptop), but a cable for a mini bike torch only needs 1W or so so can be thin. And some don't charge at all (thunderbolt). This isn't going to do away with the need for different cables. It might cause some confusion in fact.

@EU_Commission although I like this, I haven't seen decent waterproof devices (IP67 and up) with any type of USB except for some with a flimsy rubber lid.
That's because USB isn't waterproof or dust proof.

Also: how would you fit a USB-C connector in small wearables?

@EU_Commission Canada 🇨🇦 will follow suit shortly, and so will the USA 🇺🇸 - right after we convert to the #MetricSystem.

@EU_Commission It's a good first step, but it's not enough. The connector is always the same, but there are multiple standards that cover the maximum speed and power the cable (or power supply) can deliver

@EU_Commission @joaocosta Have 5 different chargers & 5 different bases for mobile devices. 4 of the 5 all from the same company. Travelling sucks.

@EU_Commission sadly, you failed to also mandate an actual #RightToRepair by forcing companies to provide discrimination-ree access to parts and bannning #PlannedObsolescence per design in the form of #SolderedDown SSDs, RAM & glued-in batteries since those WILL INEVITABLY FAIL OVER TIME AND USE!

You can do better - so please do better!!!

@EU_Commission it means I have to throw away my usb-a chargers which worked for all devices (including Apple)

@EU_Commission thanks for putting an to that annoying innovation in plugs and connectivity. I look forward to having this as our fixed standard for at least the next 100 years, because clearly, there is no further innovation to be had in this area.

@EU_Commission yeah, right now i have such problem with my (newer) laptop charger that i cant find replacement due to custom jack xD for a week i use my old af laptop xD