I’m sure puri.sm folks are aware:
“According to the analyst, Apple plans to remove the Lightning connector on a flagship iPhone to be released in 2021. Instead it would rely on wireless charging.”
Why stop there? I mean c’mon Apple, you’ll sell more phones if you just stop letting people charge them period. 
10 Likes
The industry seems to be heading towards USB-C anyways, so I think Purism is safe.
I saw a story that Apple is planning to put USB-C into their phones starting in 2021. Though with Apple it is always a guessing game.
1 Like
bought a micro-usb to usb-c adapter just to be backwards compatible > aprox 4 euros with VAT
2 Likes
But who know what the European parliament will adopt?
Maybe it will be a NATO EMP hardened Mil-Spec adapter? Heh, heh, heh.
10 Likes
Mil-Spec is so cool to read in a sentence … the military specifications are so awesome … it’s a shame we don’t get more consumer products on the shelf that follow their “lead” …
1 Like
Fast charging included 
1 Like
EU charger mandate is just more collectivist crap, but I agree about the Mil-Spec. I have an M105 1.5 ton trailer… the wheels are over 3 feet tall. Handles like a dream on the road, but the best thing is that if I go off-road, I still hardly know it’s there! Still looking to buy a surplus HMMWV or Deuce-and-a-Half to pull it. Just have to make due with the old Dodge for now.
Now, if I could only have a Mil-Spec Librem 5!
4 Likes
Yep… all the problems in the world and things that governments are screwing up for everyone, and they choose that to spend their time on? Imagine if we’d mandated using those crappy CFL bulbs when they first came out. We’d probably never get the far superior LEDs that we have now.
No thanks, usually governments cause more harm than good when they make these violent incursions into personal/market freedom. Even when they allegedly “work” (which seems to be the exception rather than the norm), there’s often some negative unforeseen consequences.
Don’t they have some budgets to balance and some crony special interest laws to repeal? Or maybe repeal some of their past failed interventions which created new problems. It’s hard to believe that these people think they have the moral authority to mandate anything for others.
7 Likes
I’m absolutely in favor of this regulation. In fact, it has been preceeded 2009-2012 by a memorandum of understanding of manufacturers to standardize on microUSB.
This should have had a successor to standardize on USB-C. In 2018 all major manufacturers including Apple agreed on it (German source).
I don’t care much about what apple does but it would make me mildly grin if a law would force them to do something sensible that they had already committed to. 
6 Likes
Voluntary industry standards can be a good thing. Laws and regulations on the market? Not so much.
4 Likes
If we leave iAP-based MFi accessories and related cabling issue just for a moment aside there is the another world of chargers (as pointed out within original post) that are supporting Qualcomm approach: https://www.qualcomm.com/documents/quick-charge-device-list
Besides pollution issue, we might refer to chargers safety as well. Here is another link that may help understand why regulated change is needed: https://lygte-info.dk/info/ChargerIndex%20UK.html
3 Likes
Pushing proprietary standard? Abso-freaking-lutely. Pushing open publicly and widely adopted by international bodies/authorities and manufacturers standard? Not at all. Apple abuses the fact that their customers have emotional bondage to their products. EU wants to force them stopping that abuse.
EU gave plenty of time for manufacturers to agree on what they will choose as a one-to-rule-them-all standard.
7 Likes
Ha! If that’s the case, maybe such a law isn’t so harmful (if a standard ever needed to change, it might backfire, since now it’s basically up to governments to allow the change).
This sounds a little more like government forcing corporations to adhere to contracts they’ve already agreed to. Given that government pretty much has a monopoly on contract enforcement, that is their job.
Also I do find it a little funny with a corp like Apple gets their hand slapped.
If everyone already agreed to the standard, why is a law needed at all? If it already has the force of contract, doesn’t exiting contract law cover a breach? This is only different in magnitude, not in kind, to the PRC mandating PLA minders on corporate boards and design teams.
4 Likes
It shouldn’t be, but my understanding from above if I didn’t read incorrectly is that they were either dragging their feet or simply ignoring the standard they agreed to.
But yes, good point, contract law should probably be enough on its own, I would think.
I agree.
Problem is while agreeing to the standard, one participant (Apple) does not comply and still uses non-industry-self-given-via-memorandum-of-understanding cables. Now there are the following options:
- Consumers don’t buy these products (will not happen - or do you think someone who buys apple will say: Nah! This time I won’t buy my phone there because they don’t use USB type C - if you think yes, why do less phones have switchable batteries and sd cards?)
- Everyone ignores this (electronic waste, more licensing, more cables for everyone)
- Legislation (As this is the only basis we can legally work on - will make switching once in X years to the next standard maybe a bit slower)
My box of 50 unique and weird cables that belongs to an assortment of cameras, mp3 players and mobile phones disagrees! 
Companies don’t have an incentive to standardize and love to charge an arm and a leg for replacement cables. I have discarded gadgets just because I lost the charging cable and a replacement was just as expensive as a replacement gadget.
6 Likes
I’ve always patched broken cables in charges. Somehow, that’s most common thing - cable breaks due to wear, and all you have to do is to demolish the case (it’s not openable), patch the cable and put the thing back together with a duct tape. Safety thrid!
When doing such things not for myself, I always buy an el-cheapo replacement case in local electric shop. It’s always bulkier than original and sometimes people just want a replacement gadgets rather than that.
Putting my cynic’s hat on, I’m not expecting reduced electronics waste, just more uniform (broken chargers, all alike), and the charger prices to skyrocket.
2 Likes
Thank you so much for posting this link
1 Like