Apple absent from universal phone charger push

[newarkdanny]

Although AT&T and several other iPhone partners joined an industry initiative to standardize mobile phone chargers over the next few years, Apple has yet to follow suit and may remain committed to its proprietary dock-connector interface .

The GSMA and 17 mobile operators plan to develop a universal charging solution that would appear by January 1, 2012. Micro-USB will be the common charging interface.

The group includes AT&T, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Orange, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, T-Mobile, and Vodafone. According to the GSMA, which represents the interests of GSM operators, the change would make things simpler for the consumer, who could use the same charger with all future phones and charge anywhere with any available unit.

The chargers will boast a 4-star or higher efficiency rating in order to be three times more energy-efficient than an unrated charger and consume 50% less stand-by energy. The GSMA estimates greenhouse gas reduction by 13.6 to 21.8 million metric tons as the replacement rate for existing chargers decreases.

Noticeably absent from the list of supporters is Apple. Its ubiquitous dock connector was introduced on the third-generation iPod in 2003 and has appeared on every iPod and iPhone since. By the time of the 2012 deadline, the dock connector will have been around for almost a decade.

In a possible nod to the iPhone's exemption, the GSMA targets only "majority" adoption by 2012. The BBC notes that the move may be a response to pressure from the European Commission, which has observed more than 30 different kinds of chargers in use across the European Union.






http://www.appleinsider.com/articles...rger_push.html

[LazyGenius]

apple isnt going to switch their chargers... a universal charger is not good enough for the iphone... just like flash...

[ickyfehmleh]

For an Android discussion forum there sure are a lot of posts talking about Apple.

[joshtheitguy]

apple isnt going to switch their chargers... a universal charger is not good enough for the iphone... just like flash...

Steve Jobs would like to remind you it just isn't the iphone, it is actually the Jesus phone.

[d0nkey]

how can you guys honestly blame them?

money money money money money money

[newarkdanny]

For an Android discussion forum there sure are a lot of posts talking about Apple.

i posted it more for the "universal phone charger push" part than the apple part

[BadBoy]

This is actually great news....not about Apple...but about the push for universal chargers. I would have to carry my charger with me to less places that I travel.

And think...if you are travelling and you forget your charger at home.....the hotel you are staying at may just start providing standard chargers by that point.

[agentaaron]

This is actually great news....not about Apple...but about the push for universal chargers. I would have to carry my charger with me to less places that I travel.

And think...if you are travelling and you forget your charger at home.....the hotel you are staying at may just start providing standard chargers by that point.

Believe it or not...some already do.

We went on a weekend vacation and stayed the night at a Marriott...of course I forgot my wall charger and didnt want to leave my phone in the car all night. The nice receptionist at the front desk helped me out by having a charger (for my dash at the time) delivered to my room. When I turned it in the next morning she said that it happens quite a bit and that they have a drawer full of chargers (both that they have purchased to have on hand...as well as a bunch that people just forget when they checkout)

[BadBoy]

Believe it or not...some already do.

We went on a weekend vacation and stayed the night at a Marriott...of course I forgot my wall charger and didnt want to leave my phone in the car all night. The nice receptionist at the front desk helped me out by having a charger (for my dash at the time) delivered to my room. When I turned it in the next morning she said that it happens quite a bit and that they have a drawer full of chargers (both that they have purchased to have on hand...as well as a bunch that people just forget when they checkout)

Wow....never knew any hotels did that.

How much easier it would be if all jacks were universal.....

[GasBot]

Apple will never do that because then they can't sell and license out for specially made docks and device control systems made specifically for them. What's hilarious is that when the iPhone 3G came out, they switched the power pin to a different one just so that people would have to buy all new docks to work with it. Luckily people figured it out and made adapters, but still.