All phones in the European Union will, from 2024, use the same type of charging port for mobile phones, tablets and cameras, Reuters reported.
“By autumn 2024, USB Type-C will become the common charging port for all mobile phones, tablets and cameras in the EU,” the European Parliament said in a statement.
EU counttype cries and lawmakers agreed to this on Tuesday after a decade long pursuit. It is the first of its kind in the world.
The political intervention, which the European Commission said would make life easier for consumers and save them money, came after companies failed to reach a common solution.
Brussels has been pushing for a single mobile charging port for more than a decade, prompted by complaints from iPhone and Android users about having to switch to different chargers for their devices.
Apple will be the worst hit by this decision as iPhones are charged from a lightning cable, while Android-based devices use USB-C and USB micro-B connectors.
Half the chargers sold with mobile phones in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, while 29 per cent had a USB-C connector and 21 per cent a Lightning connector, according to a 2019 Commission study.
EU industry chief Thierry Breton said the deal would save around 250 million euros ($267 million) for consumers.
cr:premiumTimes
