Democratic senators called on the United States to follow the example of the European Union (EU) and require smartphone manufacturers, including Apple, to adopt a common charging cable. (opens in a new tab)
From 2024, all mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, headphones, digital cameras, headsets and helmets, portable game consoles and portable speakers will have to include a USB Type-C port, a decision the EU says will save consumers 250 million euros per year and avoid 11.000 tons of electronic waste.
The news went unnoticed across the Atlantic, and in a letter to US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, backed by independent Bernie Sanders, argued that similar legislation in the US would benefit consumers and help the environment. .
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"This policy has the potential to significantly reduce e-waste and help consumers who are tired of having to dig through drawers full of tangled chargers to find a compatible one or buy a new one," the letter says. “The EU has wisely acted in the public interest by taking on powerful tech companies on this consumer and environmental issue. The United States should do the same.
"We cannot allow the consumer electronics industry to prioritize proprietary and inevitably outdated charging technology over consumer protection and environmental health."
Any move in the US would likely face opposition from Apple, which is the most notable manufacturer not currently using USB-C, preferring its own proprietary Lightning connector for the iPhone.
He will be disproportionately affected by the new EU rules and has consistently opposed any mandate, arguing that it would stifle innovation and create a huge amount of waste when consumers get rid of their old Lightning chargers.
The UK, perhaps interested in emphasizing that the UK is free of the so-called Brussels "red tape" in a post-Brexit world, said it does not "currently" consider (opens in a new tab) doing the same. Despite this stance, UK consumers are likely to be affected by EU rules.
Via BBC (Opens in a new tab)