Highlights:
- The possibility of using one charger for all devices, including smartphones and tablets, is being considered by the Indian government.
- Europe has also implemented a similar policy and mandated all smartphone manufacturers to use a common charger.
- The current setup forces users to purchase separate chargers for each device.
The possibility of using one charger for all devices, including smartphones and tablets, is being considered by the Indian government. Europe has also implemented a similar policy and ordered all smartphone manufacturers to use one charger for all devices, including tablets and smartphones. In Europe, the policy will take effect in 2024. The Indian government has set a meeting for August 17 to discuss the possibilities.
The government will meet with smartphone manufacturers and sector organizations to discuss the prospect of stopping the usage of multiple chargers in India, easing consumer burdens, and preventing e-waste, according to a ministry official. “If companies can serve in Europe and the US, why cannot they do it in India? Portable electronic devices like smartphones and tablets should have a common charger,” a senior official from the ministry of consumer affairs told PTI. He further stated that the products will be dumped here if India did not push for this change.
Users are needed to purchase separate chargers for every device under the current setup. Tablets, smartphones, and laptops each come with their own chargers. The chargers for iOS and Android are different. When their phones run out of battery and they are surrounded by Android users, iOS users frequently find themselves in a problem. People would not need to purchase chargers separately if Android and iOS devices share a charger.
A single mobile charging port for smartphones and other devices will be implemented, as agreed upon by the European Council, Commission, and Parliament in June 2022. “Mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers that are rechargeable via a wired cable will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port, regardless of their manufacturer. Laptops will also have to be adapted to the requirements by 40 months after entry into force,” according to a press release from the parliament.
