Smartphones bought in India would require a standardised charging connector which is more likely to be the widely-used USB Sort-C port, in accordance with a report. This new rule is alleged to be geared toward enabling customers to make use of a single cable to cost a number of units – a measure to cut back e-waste, much like the mandate issued by the European Union (EU) in 2022 that goes into impact on the finish of this yr. The federal government may additionally mandate using a Sort-C port to cost laptops at a later date.
Standarised USB Sort-C Port
Citing folks aware of the matter, Livemint reviews that the Ministry of Electronics and Data Expertise (MeitY) could quickly direct gadget producers to incorporate uniform charging ports in smartphones and tablets. This directive can also be stated to incorporate laptops, however that rule will reportedly come into impact from 2026. The charging port in dialogue is purported to be the fashionable USB Sort-C connector.
In line with the report, the purported mandate will not embrace wearable units corresponding to smartwatches and primary function telephones. This transfer will reportedly come into impact beginning June 2025, and is alleged to be geared toward lowering the e-waste generated by a number of kinds of cables utilized by units, enabling the consumer to cost all their units with one cable.
The EU additionally handed an analogous mandate in 2022, making USB Sort-C the usual charging port throughout {hardware} corresponding to smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld video-game consoles and moveable audio system. This transfer pressured Apple to interchange its proprietary lightning port with USB Sort-C, beginning with the iPhone 15 sequence in 2023.
In November 2022, the federal government reportedly reached a consensus to undertake USB Sort-C as the usual technique of charging. Following a gathering with stakeholders from the trade, Shopper Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh stated on the time, “Through the assembly, a broad consensus emerged amongst stakeholders on adoption of USB Sort-C as a charging port for digital units corresponding to smartphones, tablets and laptops.”
Whereas no timeframe was talked about on the time, it appears India is now gearing as much as announce its frequent charger guidelines. The current report additionally means that, MeitY will present six months of extra time to “guarantee compliance” by all of the stakeholders.