From fall 2024: EU makes USB-C mandatory for smartphones, cameras, etc.

A standardized charging port has been discussed in the EU for ten years. Micro-USB was a voluntary solution of most manufacturers in the meantime. Now the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament have agreed on USB-C as the new standard and have also harmonized fast charging. The new regulation will apply from fall 2024.

Does not only apply to smartphones

USB-C as a new standard does not only apply to smartphones. That is why not only Apple will have to change over the next two years. In its press release, the European Parliament still mentions tablets, e-readers, headphones, digital cameras as well as portable speakers and gaming devices by name.

USB-C is already standard in many areas, but not everywhere by a long shot. Microsoft's Surface Laptop Studio can be charged via USB-C, but it also has a proprietary charging port. Apple had already converted its MacBooks to USB-C, but has just announced the return of the MagSafe port for the new MacBook Air. I cannot judge whether a possible charging via one of the two USB-C ports beside it meets the EU specifications.

I have not seen Android tablets and smartphones without USB-C for a long time. Apple has also completely converted its iPads to USB-C and has been rumored to be testing iPhones with USB-C ports for quite some time. The new models this fall, however, are said to still have a Lightning connector.

Wearables are where I've seen USB-C as a charging port least often lately. Their manufacturers should have the most work to do.

The default of USB-C also applies to laptops. But since they usually require different chargers due to higher power consumption, a longer transition period applies.

Harmonizing fast charging

The EU not only wants to harmonize the connection for charging, but also the technology for fast charging. At the moment, each manufacturer is cooking its own soup, especially with smartphones, which are not compatible with each other. In the future, smartphones that support fast charging should also be able to be charged quickly with "foreign" chargers. The uniform standard for this is probably Power Delivery.

The EU has not yet defined a standard for wireless charging. For this, the Commission is to commission a standardization institution to draw up a uniform standard within 24 months.

With the specifications, the EU not only wants to make life more convenient for consumers, but above all to save on electrical waste. That's why in the future there should always be the option of being able to buy new devices without a charger.

This is how it continues

Approval of the new regulations in the European Parliament and Council, which is now only a formality, is expected after the summer break.