The UK government is considering major changes to all mobile phones in the UK. The UK may be following the lead of the EU by introducing universal chargers for all electronic devices.
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The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPPS) has opened a consultation on making the USB-C cable the mandatory charger for all electronical devices – including smartphones, tablets and headphones. The body is seeking the views of trade associations, manufacturers, distributors and consumers on whether the change would be helpful. The OPPS believe that the move could ‘help businesses and deliver consumer and environmental benefits.’In a statement, it wrote: ‘Recent developments in wired charging technologies and evolving international standards provide potential opportunities to reduce electronic waste and benefit customers through enabling the adoption of a standardised charger for smartphones and similar devices.’ It comes just two years after the UK Government ruled out the option of a common charger for all. But now we could be replicating the EU’s controversial ‘Common Charger Directive,’ which was introduced in 2022.
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The EU’s initiative doesn’t come into play until December of this year, but many phone makers have already made the change.Apple, for instance, discontinued its patented lightning charger on all iPhone models since the iPhone 15 in favour of the USB-C.Arguably the biggest appeal of the one-charger-for-all idea is that it will reduce the number of chargers customers need to buy – thereby reducing waste.
In 2021, for example, the European Commission estimated that discarded and unused chargers create 11,000 tonnes of e-waste every single year just in the EU. The change also means that manufacturers will stop selling mobile phones and chargers as a kit – as it can be assumed that all customers already have USB-C cables.
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If the UK goes ahead with the change, all mobile phones and portable electronic devices will need to come with a USB-C charger. The charger’s ability to transfer both power and data means that consumers will no longer need to buy separate cables for different uses.