The days of hunting through cables to find the right charger may be coming to an end.
The European Union has provisionally agreed new portable electronic devices must, by autumn 2024, use a USB Type-C charger.
As of 2024, all smartphone and tablets sold in the bloc will have to be compatible with a USB Type-C port. Tech giant Apple had opposed the measure.
Nearly a decade after the measure was first floated, EU member states agreed on Tuesday to the text of a law that will impose one standard charger for smartphones and tablets sold within the bloc.
The EU believes a standard cable for all devices will cut back on electronic waste, but iPhone juggernaut Apple argues that a one-size-fits-all charger would slow innovation and create more pollution.
The bloc is home to 450 million people, some of the world's richest consumers, and the imposition of the USB-C as a cable standard could affect the entire global smartphone market.
The legislation still needs to be approved by the EU Parliament and Council later this year, but this appears to be a formality. In a press release, the European Parliament stated clearly that the law will be in place “by autumn 2024.” By this date, all devices covered by the law and sold in the EU will have to use USB-C for wired charging.
