Universal phone charger OK'd

A standard for a universal phone charger was approved this week by the International Telecommunication Union, a branch of the United Nations.

Side by side view of a Micro-USB connector and a regular USB connector.

(Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

The Universal Charging Solution will enable the creation of one-size-fits-all chargers that can be used on any future phone, according to the ITU.

The standard is based on input from the GSM Association, which expects the shift to eliminate 51,000 tons of redundant chargers, or 13.6 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year.

Based on Micro-USB, the new chargers will also be energy efficient.

"Universal chargers are a common-sense solution that I look forward to seeing in other areas," Malcolm Johnson, director of ITU's telecommunication standardization bureau, said in a statement.

Manufacturers are not required to adopt the new chargers, but some have already signed up, such as Sony Ericsson, according to the BBC.

[Police_States_of_America]

wonder if i can charge my phone from my computer with this adapted_USB like i currently can with my motorolla phone.

[joyofsomeone]

Well, seeing as my current Sagem can both charge and transfer files when connected into a pc using a micro-usb cable, i would assume you can :)

[ThreeMilesNorth]

And we boast of sending men to the moon. This should have been implemented years ago. Anything USB is good.

[BigGuns149]

Virtually every adapter has used an USB A-male connector to connect to a computer for years. The issue was that the connector to phone was not standardized.

[BlutoNYC]

I'd like to see if Apple is going join in this bandwagon. They are elitists when it comes to accessories.

[ikramerica--2008]

They license the dock connector to anyone who wants to make an accessory. How is that elitist? The dock connector is far more than a simple USB plug, as it carries analog audio, digital audio and/or a video stream depending on which pins you access, in addition to power and USB data.

[Perry_Clease]

Maybe they will have both connecters.

[GregB999]

According to CNET, they already have joined the bandwagon.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10274953-94.html?tag=mncol;txt

Or just click on the Micro-USB link in the article.

[TinyIoda]

i believe the entire point of the EU making this manditory was so that ALL PHONES sold will have the same 'charging system'.

apple branded phones are no exception

[myles taylor]

I believe they already addressed this in one country. They said they were going to have an iPhone that did that. So I'd imagine they will do that everywhere. They aren't getting rid of the dock connector; they will just have another slot to plug it in.

[ikramerica--2008]

All iPhones can use USB chargers, generic brands of all sorts, if you plug it into various dock adapters. Unless this iPhone gets a second port, this will continue to be the case. Same as an iPod.

Again, Apple's on board because they don't have to actually change anything... ;)

[jawaidbazyar]

Apple uses proprietary stuff whenever they can in order to force lock-in to Apple accessories, add-ons, and peripherals. They've been doing this since day 1.

[codynews]

Why is a government body needed to "approve" a cell phone charger standard? For the most part, USB has already become a defacto standard for phone connectivity/charging. Of most new phones, I assume Apple is one of the only to not have that type of connection on the actual phone? Though it still can charge via USB. In fact its wall charger has a USB connector on it.

So it looks like the market did it's job w/o needing govt hand holding.

[cbscowards]

I have a Motorola phone (W755) with a mini-usb connector. When I try to use my Belkin USB car charger that I use for my Ipod, or my TomTom mini-USB car charger, the Moto phone says "Unauthorized charger" and refuses to charge. So Moto & Verizon want me to pay $30 for a third 12V USB mini-charger.

That's why.

[jaguar717]

Because people feel *entitled* to anything they want.

Parasite politicians have capitalized on this in getting people to hand over every power they can grab in return for the occasional token handout. As a result, Old Europe consists of Serfs being lorded over by Omnipotent Government.

And we're rushing to replicate all their failures as quickly as we can over here, giving Nancy Pelosi and her ilk every power they demand.

[filipiak]

This was a standards body, not a governmental body. It's a committee from the UN, which is made up of governmental representatives, but is NOT a government itself, nor are the committees it forms.

If you looked at their web site, you would see that of the 907 government and private sector members and associates, just 21% are governmental in nature.

[jaguar717]

An industry standard is just that: a standard the key players in an industry adopt voluntarily. You get economies of scale from commoditizing a port or cable or data standard, so many individual companies will choose voluntarily to adopt that standard, while others will stick with proprietary ones because they have additional needs, or are just stubborn.

Either way, consumers will reward the innovators with increased market share, and punish the ones they don't find a use for. The heavy hand of government has no place forcing anyone to adopt a standard. The number of government members may be "just" 21%, but it's misleading to say that equates to 21% influence. Government does not compete, earn customers, or even have its revenues cover its costs.

Its sole tool is Force, and you can't simple walk away from them like you can in the market. The appropriate amount of government involved in setting industry standards is 0%. Besides, doesn't the UN have more important things to do, like put dictators on the "human rights" commission and blaming the Jews for everything?

[Ampers]

This has been coming for some time now. Naturally all the companies who want to sell to the EU have changed over earlier with their new models. If the rule hadn't been coming I thing you would have found this wouldn't have been done. Think about it.

And I hate the EU more than anyone.

Ampers.

[mediagiant]

First of all, it's about time. Nokia's flimsy charging port system has betrayed me on more than one occasion, so mini-USB is definitely a step in the right direction. I remember when I had my BlackBerry that I could use the same cord to plug it into my PC that I used for my digital camera.

I'll tell you what would be nice...car stereos that would support controlling (not just streaming) music from all phones and MP3 players, not just iPods and iPhones.

[jaggedpath]

"...so mini-USB is definitely a step in the right direction..."

It's micro-USB, not mini-USB.

[subslug]

Personally, I wish they would have just stuck with the mini USB connection. The micro connector which is what I have on my LG now is pretty flimsy.
I never had any problems with the Mini USB on my Moto phone. On my LG, when I want to data transfer using micro USB I have to physically hold the end plugged into the phone just right or else the signal drops.
Sort of weak IMO.

[fazalmajid]

They are just rubber-stamping a decision made in February 2009 by the GSMA. China had mandated USB-based universal chargers in late 2006.

[play7]

USB? uoir joking? mini plug?

[ikramerica--2008]

No doubt. Mini/micro USB is NOT designed to plug/unplug at the frequency you would do so for a phone, charging once or twice a day. The ports are not robust and will BREAK. The charger will be fine, but your phone will crap out...

[AluminumMonster]

Its kinda crazy it took this long for something that makes sooo much sense to be implemented. Oh well better late then never.

[PhaseDMA]

Not that I'm against this but who is the UN to help decide call phone standards?

What a waste of time for the UN. If users can't manage chargers then how can they manage world politics?!

[kswartz26]

You're confusing the UN General Assembly with the overall UN organization.

The UN is responsible for coordinating all things (well, many things) at an international level. It does so to foster cooperation and ensure no one government tries to improperly assert jurisdiction over other nations. UN also has groups devoted to disease control (WHO), famine eradication, child welfare (UNICEF), women's rights, world heritage preservation (UNESCO), climate control, and so on. One of the missions of the UN is global evonomic development. ITU works to achieve that.

[vectorbabe]

It's a shame that Apple Inc. won't be party to this. Their iPhone uses it's own type of plug for charging.

Their laptop computers use their own, proprietary, type of charging plugs--the mag-safe plug.

And so far, Apple has refused to license these plugs to any other manufacturer.

This has forced me, more than once, to go hunting for an authorized Apple dealer when my charger failed and then again when I forgot the charger.

[filipiak]

Click through on the links in the story, and you will see, in fact, that Apple is one of the parties involved in this.

And if you had to "go hunting" for an Apple dealer when your charger failed, then that's a strike against Apple. If you had to go hunting for one when you forgot your charger, well, that's hardly Apple's fault.

[BigGuns149]

You have a point with mag-safe, but the iPhone uses a connector made by Molex that AFAIK Apple does not have exclusive rights to use.

[krosafcheg]

If the mfg. don't "have" to, then what's the point?

[kswartz26]

ITU only defines the standards. Governments define the law. The EU has all but said that adherence to this standard will be necessary to sell phones in any EU member country; they just haven't said when yet.

[play7]

There are better ways to charge phones. To make then one size fit all. But mini plugs are not the answer. In Japan we two or so standards for changers. depending on which company you have. BUT its alot better then this thing.

[Miko83]

One Plug to bring them all and in the darkness charge them. :)

[Ampers]

I have recently purchased an HTC Hero and a Kindle International wireless book reader.

They both came with a mains transformer with detachable plugs for various countries at one end and a full size USB socket at the other end. The lead you plug in can be used to charge the device, or to use it with your computer, and be charging whilst you use it on said computer.

However, the Kindle uses a micro USB and the Hero a mini USB. No real problem as adapters are available to change micro to mini and vice versa, but it is nice that many manufacturers are already going down this path.

Once every item has this method I can see the coffee chains and pub chains supplying fixed leads so you can charge up your phone. As it takes a fair time to charge, what a great way of keeping the customer buying coffees or beers.

Ampers