Senators call for a common charger standard in the US
to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo calling on her department to develop a"comprehensive strategy" that would lead to a common charging standard. The EU acted in the"public interest" by settling on one port, the senators said, and the US ought to follow suit to reduce the environmental impact of chargers while improving convenience for users.reduce e-waste
by letting people reuse existing cables and adapters for new devices. It could also help consumers money by sparing them from buying additional chargers, not to mention adding"sanity and certainty" to electronics shopping. This would prevent companies from locking you into proprietary cables that become obsolete, according to the group.
Raimondo hadn't responded to the letter as of this writing. The senators didn't specify USB-C as the standard, although that's likely to be the frontrunner. The EU will require USB-C starting in 2024, and the technology can accommodate everything from smartphones and earbuds through to high-end laptops. It also provides more consistent approaches to fast charging and accessory support.
Critics and some companies have long pushed back on charger standards. Apple most notably claimed a universal charger wouldby limiting the potential for technical advances, and would allegedly negate e-waste reduction by forcing legions of the company's users to replace their Lightning cables. Brands like Apple might not have much choice but to switch given the EU's move, however, and a US standard would only cement that decision.