After the European Union (EU) announced that numerous consumer tech devices using wired charging will require USB-C by 2024, three U.S. senators are seeking a similar standard.
In a letter sent Thursday, Senators Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (D-Island) asked Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to consider a strategy that would require universal charging standards in household appliances.
The senators didn’t mention USB-C, but cited upcoming EU legislation that would require smartphones, digital cameras, e-readers, headsets, laptops, and some other wired-charging consumer tech products to use USB-C.
At the time of writing, Secretary of State Raimondo has not responded to the letter.
The Senators asked the Secretary of Commerce to “coordinate with Commerce Department offices and agencies to develop a comprehensive plan that will protect both consumers and the environment by addressing the lack of a common charging standard in the United States.”
Financial and environmental burden
The strongly worded letter focused on “the failure of consumer electronics manufacturers to establish uniform standards for chargers”and the resulting “economic and environmental damage”.
He also pointed to EU data, according to which in 2020, 38 percent of EU consumers tried to charge their phone at least once, and the only chargers nearby were incompatible.
This experience is ubiquitous for Apple iPhone users dependent on the proprietary Lightning port. Apple is the most notorious opponent of mandatory USB-C charging in the EU. It argued that the policy would limit innovation and create more customer confusion and e-waste as Lightning chargers and accessories become obsolete.
Marks, Sanders, and Warren made such arguments preemptively, calling the “planned obsolescence”of chargers a financial burden on consumers.
The letter says:
“Innovation must benefit consumers. They should not come at their expense, burden them with incompatible accessories, and force them to buy different chargers for every device they own.”
Health problems
The senators called on the government to intervene, presenting the debate as a public health issue.
They pointed out that the new products are making dedicated chargers obsolete (look at you, 30-pin connector) and thrown out. EU data show that chargers represent roughly 11,000 tons of e-waste annually, the letter notes.
Senators wrote:
“If electronics are not disposed of properly, electronic waste can spread toxins in the water, contaminate the soil, and degrade the quality of the air we breathe.”
EU has laid the foundation, but obstacles remain in the US
In addition to using EU data to make Raimondo’s case, the senators asked her to follow the example of EU lawmakers by “developing a comprehensive strategy to eliminate unnecessary consumer spending, reduce e-waste, and restore sanity and confidence in the process of buying new electronics.”
However, there is a long way to go before we see USB-C or any other charging solution standardized in consumer gadgets. It took the EU 10 years to pass its law, which is not expected to come into force until 2024. Along the way, he faced a lot of resistance from companies like Apple.
Meanwhile, the debate about standard charger policy is starting to take shape in the US. Markey, Sanders and Warren did not specify which tech products should be affected by which standard, or which charging standard would be preferred.
Senators also proposed not the adoption of a law, but a kind of interdepartmental discussion. Like the universal charging policy in the EU and the right-to-repair fight in the US, general charging legislation in the US is likely to face opposition from business and political groups who feel the government should be less involved. (Also worth mentioning are notable developments in this area, including the passage of New York State’s first electronic repair right law.)
If the government tries to standardize USB-C in some way, it’s helpful that many electronics manufacturers have already voluntarily adopted it. Even Apple is reportedly testing USB-C charging for iPhones.
But it’s hard to ignore the argument that universal charging could stifle new charging methods. While the EU has said it will change its policy if the new charging technology is better for consumers than USB-C, there is obvious bureaucracy in this approach.
Also, knowing that any great innovation can win over your competitors can discourage R&D.
Depending on what products the common charger standard targets, this can make things more difficult for companies that charge extra for the faster and more mainstream USB-C. Similarly, products using proprietary technologies or alternatives such as Micro USB, which can be bulkier and slower but cost less, may also be affected.
Despite the obstacles, the senators believe that the US government should follow the example of the EU, which “acted wisely in the public interest.”