Thursday, September 23rd 2021
EU Commission Pushing Forward with Unified Electronics Charger Standard and Unbundling of Chargers
What can only be called a long running drama, the EU has once again put its foot down when it comes to chargers for various consumer electronics devices, although it's mostly about smartphones and regular old mobile phones these days. The whole thing took off some time in 2009, although back then, it was a voluntary effort and according to today's press release by the EU Commission, we're down from 30 to three "competing" standards (micro USB, lightning and USB-C), but apparently that is still not good enough.
As such, the EU Commission has now decided that USB-C is the answer to their prayers and it'll now be an enforced standard for a wide range of devices if they're to be allowed to be sold in the EU. We doubt this will go down well with many device manufacturers, Apple being the obvious one here, even though the company has been slowly transitioning to USB-C on its tablets, none of its phones are using USB-C today. The following device categories are affected: smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers and handheld video game consoles.
It's unclear as to why the device port has to be USB-C, although a move to USB-C cables for everything does make things simpler, but as long as the charger itself uses USB-C, it's hard to understand why the device end must use USB-C. There's nothing inherently wrong with USB-C, but the USB-C standard is a bit of a mess, even for charging and the EU Commission has a very "loose" proposal here where they're pushing for the USB Power Delivery standard to be the only charging standard allowed over USB-C.
Even USB PD isn't a uniform standard and there are at least four major revisions with multiple minor versions. If we assume the EU Commission goes for USB PD 3.1, then we're looking at a pretty future proof standard that can deliver up to 240 W at 48 V, but this would require different cables than what we're using today. However, if USB PD 3.0 is chosen, then anything that needs more than 100 W at 20 V isn't going to work. Admittedly no smartphone in the world is going to need to be charged at 240 W, but the issue with setting standards like this, is that they tend to filter down, or more likely filter out in this case, to other markets and devices, which means that setting the bar too low, isn't good.
It makes even more sense to go for the most advanced standard when the EU Commission also wants to unbundle the chargers, as it means that your USB PD charger can be used to power many other devices that might have different power requirements from your smartphone or tablet. This appears to be one of the goals here, judging by the amount of different devices the EU Commission already set its sight on, but they might even have limited themselves a bit here, since most laptops can and should be charged over USB-C as well. In fact, Apple is pretty much the pioneer here, which also makes their obsession with keeping the lightning connector on their phones a bit counterintuitive.
Where we're not following the EU Commission's logic is where they claim that as many as 38 percent of consumers are said to have experienced problems with their charges due to incompatibility problems. If anything this seems to suggest that most consumers haven't paid attention to what kind of device they own. On the other hand it also seems crazy that consumers in the EU have spent €2.4 billion per year on buying chargers for their electronics, since they apparently don't always come with chargers. Again, this suggests that consumers aren't paying attention to what they're buying and maybe clearer labelling would solve these problems.
Furthermore, the EU Commission claims that some 11,000 tonnes of e-waste is produced annually from chargers and power adapters that are being thrown away, since they're not compatible with newer devices. This problem could be solved to a degree by moving to USB-C, but as mentioned above, the USB PD standard has also evolved over time, so if you have a USB PD 1.0 charger, it might not be compatible with your new USB PD 3.0 device, as at some point the Voltages changed. One thing that is certain is that there's no such thing as future proof electronics, as it's impossible to predict future requirements, but as technology develops and improves, we sometimes move to entirely different standards that are vastly superior to what came before.
In as much as a common charging standard sounds great, we're not going to see universal chargers, regardless of what the EU Commission is hoping for. This comes down to one simple thing, cost. You can get a 30 W USB PD charger for as little as €10 (sticking with the EU here), which is going to be more than good enough for charging most of the devices in the EU Commission's list, but it's unlikely it'll be powerful enough to charge your laptop or even more demanding smartphones and tablets. A "cheap" 100 W USB PD charger on the other hand will set you back at least €40, although they can often charge multiple devices at once and wouldn't have a problem powering a laptop.
The only thing that is certain is that consumers won't be getting that €5 or €10 the currently bundled charger is worth back from the device makers, since we've already seen some companies that have removed the charger from the box, but seemingly didn't lower the price of their devices with an equivalent amount. This doesn't even take into consideration the reduced weight and volume per unit, which would reduce shipping costs for the device manufacturer.
At the end of the day, this is a tricky subject and although the EU does have some very valid points, it would seem that simply requiring that all chargers use a USB-C port and adhere to the USB PD standard would've been enough, it looks like we're going to see a lot more devices use USB-C ports for charging. This isn't a bad thing as such, but it does feel a bit forced, even though there are some underlying reasons behind it. It's not a done deal yet and things may still change before it becomes a legal requirement.
Photo by By Ilya Plekhanov - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46517325
Source:
The EU Commission
As such, the EU Commission has now decided that USB-C is the answer to their prayers and it'll now be an enforced standard for a wide range of devices if they're to be allowed to be sold in the EU. We doubt this will go down well with many device manufacturers, Apple being the obvious one here, even though the company has been slowly transitioning to USB-C on its tablets, none of its phones are using USB-C today. The following device categories are affected: smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers and handheld video game consoles.
Even USB PD isn't a uniform standard and there are at least four major revisions with multiple minor versions. If we assume the EU Commission goes for USB PD 3.1, then we're looking at a pretty future proof standard that can deliver up to 240 W at 48 V, but this would require different cables than what we're using today. However, if USB PD 3.0 is chosen, then anything that needs more than 100 W at 20 V isn't going to work. Admittedly no smartphone in the world is going to need to be charged at 240 W, but the issue with setting standards like this, is that they tend to filter down, or more likely filter out in this case, to other markets and devices, which means that setting the bar too low, isn't good.
It makes even more sense to go for the most advanced standard when the EU Commission also wants to unbundle the chargers, as it means that your USB PD charger can be used to power many other devices that might have different power requirements from your smartphone or tablet. This appears to be one of the goals here, judging by the amount of different devices the EU Commission already set its sight on, but they might even have limited themselves a bit here, since most laptops can and should be charged over USB-C as well. In fact, Apple is pretty much the pioneer here, which also makes their obsession with keeping the lightning connector on their phones a bit counterintuitive.
Where we're not following the EU Commission's logic is where they claim that as many as 38 percent of consumers are said to have experienced problems with their charges due to incompatibility problems. If anything this seems to suggest that most consumers haven't paid attention to what kind of device they own. On the other hand it also seems crazy that consumers in the EU have spent €2.4 billion per year on buying chargers for their electronics, since they apparently don't always come with chargers. Again, this suggests that consumers aren't paying attention to what they're buying and maybe clearer labelling would solve these problems.
Furthermore, the EU Commission claims that some 11,000 tonnes of e-waste is produced annually from chargers and power adapters that are being thrown away, since they're not compatible with newer devices. This problem could be solved to a degree by moving to USB-C, but as mentioned above, the USB PD standard has also evolved over time, so if you have a USB PD 1.0 charger, it might not be compatible with your new USB PD 3.0 device, as at some point the Voltages changed. One thing that is certain is that there's no such thing as future proof electronics, as it's impossible to predict future requirements, but as technology develops and improves, we sometimes move to entirely different standards that are vastly superior to what came before.
In as much as a common charging standard sounds great, we're not going to see universal chargers, regardless of what the EU Commission is hoping for. This comes down to one simple thing, cost. You can get a 30 W USB PD charger for as little as €10 (sticking with the EU here), which is going to be more than good enough for charging most of the devices in the EU Commission's list, but it's unlikely it'll be powerful enough to charge your laptop or even more demanding smartphones and tablets. A "cheap" 100 W USB PD charger on the other hand will set you back at least €40, although they can often charge multiple devices at once and wouldn't have a problem powering a laptop.
The only thing that is certain is that consumers won't be getting that €5 or €10 the currently bundled charger is worth back from the device makers, since we've already seen some companies that have removed the charger from the box, but seemingly didn't lower the price of their devices with an equivalent amount. This doesn't even take into consideration the reduced weight and volume per unit, which would reduce shipping costs for the device manufacturer.
At the end of the day, this is a tricky subject and although the EU does have some very valid points, it would seem that simply requiring that all chargers use a USB-C port and adhere to the USB PD standard would've been enough, it looks like we're going to see a lot more devices use USB-C ports for charging. This isn't a bad thing as such, but it does feel a bit forced, even though there are some underlying reasons behind it. It's not a done deal yet and things may still change before it becomes a legal requirement.
Photo by By Ilya Plekhanov - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46517325
100 Comments on EU Commission Pushing Forward with Unified Electronics Charger Standard and Unbundling of Chargers
The sockets themself seems to be pure weak sauce on several devices I used. They are very susceptible to dust or dirt but they are ridiculously hard to clean.
I don't know how many dussins of cables i been through trying to find a semi-long charging cable for my phones.
Also, I recent received an Apple IPad (10.2in., 8th Gen). It came with the wall charger with the USB C socket, and the cord is USB-C to Lightning. So Mix and Match is alive and well... :D
It's not impossible it just everyone wants you to buy one adapter for one item bs.
Yep just returned a set with a adjustable voltage power adapter didn't work.
I am tired of switching adapters on the cable on my charger every day multiple times because of the different standards. :twitch:
I have privately Samsung S21+ with USB-C, a work iPhone 8 plus with lightning connector, and a work Bluetooth headset with micro-usb for Microsoft Teams calls.:kookoo:
At least good thing is that there are cables avaible with 3 heads supporting each of these three standards in one.
www.amazon.de/dp/B08T67ZPFH/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_Z23M2Q4Y1H4MVH4SVBBK?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
www.renesas.com/us/en/support/engineer-school/usb-power-delivery-02-fast-role-swap-programmable-power-supplyYou can already get those kind of things with USB-C in the other end. The only problem is that many notebooks are 19V or 18.5V or...
Making it variable would have to be in the cable or plugs then, which isn't that easy, although it is a rather small step-down we're talking here.
So as long as you have a 15V or 20V notebook, it would work just fine.Reading that, suggests that device makers can get around the whole USB-C thing, by using 5V/3A for the charging, as that falls outside of the scope of the new law. Hmmm...
I don't really think a lot of companies would though, as now everyone is expecting fast charging on their phones. That said, most Bluetooth headsets don't even seem to charge much beyond 5V/1.5A.
PD or not PD, let it be quick, fast, pump charging whatever it may be...
Adaptors are smart, they negotiate and can have various protocols and can adapt them to the chipset they charge ie like QUALCOMM or MediaTek. A modern charger recognizes all types and negotiates with the end device. Case closed and stop babbling about it. It already is like that for years. If still use an ancient or crap china charger from 1 pound store blame yourself.
The whole talk is about cable and mechanical interface. And that needs to be standardized and let it be USB Type C and no other... it is a good connector proven itself in the industry where I actually work.
Kudos for the EU initiative. Apple can choke themselves on their proprietary standards.
You gotta start somewhere. Also, there is this XKCD and it is a universal truth:
Benefits of this:
- Your laptop charger can charge anything - tablet, phone, headphones, power bank, whatever
- Your phone charger can charge all of those except the laptop (and possibly a large tablet)
- You no longer need proprietary chargers - the PD standard ensures interoperability
- Universal availability of replacement chargers - who here remembers the nightmare of finding a compatible replacement charger for barrel plug laptops? You need the correct voltage, wattage, and plug - and forget about carrying it forward to your next device.
- Forwards compatibility is ensured as long as power draw doesn't increase
- Forwards compatibility effectively reduces e-waste
Drawbacks of this:
- Old chargers are made obsolete - but this was already the case. The change is that the chain of obsolescence now stops, or at least slows down dramatically. Current USB-C chargers are obviously not made obsolete.
- Peripherals based on proprietary standard (Lightning) are made obsolete. This is not the fault of the new standard, but of their proprietary nature.
- Potential confusion due to the wide range of power delivery through "the same" connector and chargers - this is a non-issue with modern charging circuitry, which can negotiate voltages and amperages and tell the user if something is amiss. It requires marking cables with their capabilities, but that's already common, and store personell can explain to those who don't understand this. If you buy the wrong cable online and it only charges slowly, return it and get one that works.
As I see it, the drawbacks here were already in existence or are negligible in light of the potential improvements. I do lament the loss of 12V in the PD standard, but in my experience most third party PD chargers still implement it (at least my Innergie (Delta) and Baseus chargers do, plus my one PD power bank. My PowerCloud desktop charger doesn't, which is a particular shame as an easy 12V output on the desk is useful for a lot of stuff, but ... meh. It's fine.
As for the higher voltage additions to the standard - what is the problem there? They're additions. The chargers will all be backwards compatible with lower voltage devices. The devices will all be compatible with lower voltage chargers - though they will of course charge slowly. If you're buying a new charger for your $2000 gaming laptop and think a 65W charger can replace the stock 240+W brick ... that's not a problem with the standard. That's PEBKAC.
The EU backing a standard with the force of law is one of the few ways of avoiding the oft-cited XKCD scenario. There might still be 15 competing standards, but now one of them is mandatory. And if there are multiple standards using the same connector, cross-compatibility is obviously equally mandatory.
Basically there already mechanisms since PC dino age. It is all just about the mechanical interface. No worries about the adapter itself. Device will trigger the appropriate mode the charger is capable of automatically.
We can indulge itself into specific gimmicks into each charging protocol and even how they overlap like in 9V mode to have some combability in between chipsets, but there's no need for that. The responsibility goes to the end device engineering to understand various protocols and act accordingly. There are no problems so far.
Even the new good class of China gallium nitride chargers based chargers are smart enough to negotiate with any device, including Apple. Are you sitting no old 1A charger stock everyone?
Regarding the high current devices there should be no difference. The certified Qualcomm QC 4,0 and newer offers 20 mV increments. It basically acts like an expensive bench power supply, you could not imagine 10 years ago. It can adapt to any needs, just write a proper code for it. Chargers these days are very sophisticated.
I don't think I said the PD 3.1 standard was a problem, my issue was that we're not sure which spec the EU will settle on and ideally it should be PD 3.1, rather than PD 3.0.
The fact that your chargers do that, doesn't mean all chargers do that, since some of the proprietary specs were never very widely adopted, mostly thinking MTK here with their charge pump.
Also, not all devices tell you that the charger is too anemic, yes it seems most laptops do that, but as I mentioned in a comment here, my phone still says it's charging when plugged in to a 5V/500mA USB port, except in reality, it's not. This is something the device makers need to improve upon, as it's one of those things that a lot of people aren't going to pay attention to. Admittedly there shouldn't be any USB-C with that low power output, but 900mA is still within spec, even though it's not part of the USB PD spec. No need to go as extreme as laptops for this to be confusing for people.
I really do hope things will get better, but considering how little the average consumer cares about the finer details of these tech "issues" is telling me that we're still going to have people complaining that their chargers don't work properly once USB-C has replaced all the other connectors.
Also the lithium charging tech asks for such voltages, those things have evolved too and new techniques emerge. On paper it may seem high, like for a phone 25W mode or even 45W, but it utilizes it for a short moment within thermal envelope and usually only in the start... like form 0% to 50%, then it will tame down. The 100W is for dual battery setups like in folds, for mobile devices only as a design goal, but it ain't needed really. Well that's another story, if it says like 100W charging... it isn't a linear thing, just a peak and for laptops it also includes the power budget for external devices too as while powered it will draw the current from the charger. So you have to multiply capability with each external port you have. But we have the devices already in the wild. Even with older PD protocols you can tailor the Power Management code to act as it should.