Finally ! Universal Mobile/cellphone Charger

[LaoPo]

Top mobile manufacturers agree to offer universal phone charger following EU pressure

By Sean Poulter

Last updated at 3:08 PM on 29th June 2009

The world's mobile phone manufacturers, including Apple and BlackBerry, yesterday pledged to start offering a single universal charger for handsets from next year.

The move comes in response to anger from customers who get a new charger with every mobile phone that is bought, each with its own unique connection.

The current policy means homes across Britain and the rest of Europe are littered with a cats cradle of chargers and leads that are useless. Most are thrown away, creating unnecessary cost and waste.

Pledge: The move, which will see mobile phone makers offer a universal charger, was announced by European Commission Vice President Guenter Verheugen

EU estimates suggest there is currently a mountain of unused mobile charges totaling a staggering 51,000 tonnes.

Ten companies have signed up to a promise to provide a universal charger connection, including Apple, Nokia, Motorola, LG, NEC, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Texas Instruments, Qualcomm and Research in Motion, which make the Blackberry.

They are committed to provide charger compatibility on the basis of a Micro-USB connector.

This replace the more than 30 different kinds of charger that are currently in use across member states.

The first generation of phones that use the same power lead connection will go on sale from next year.

EU Industry commissioner, Gunter Verheugen, said: 'I am very pleased that industry has found an agreement, which will make life much simpler for consumers.

'They will be able to charge mobile phones anywhere from the new common charger. This also means considerably less electronic waste because people will no longer have to throw away chargers when buying new phones.'

The move by the manufacturers came against a background of legal threats from the European Commission to require them to come up with a universal charger for all phones.

The Conservative consumer spokesman, Malcolm Harbour MEP, welcomed the promise, saying: 'The days of drawers full of useless old mobile phone chargers will soon be over. Common sense has prevailed.

He said: 'This is a simple agreement that will have an extremely positive impact on users' lives.

'We will no longer have to worry about forgetting our chargers and having to ask around to find one that is compatible.

'This agreement will also encourage more chargers to be recycled, preventing electronic waste.

'Mobile phone companies should consider whether a new charger is now needed with every handset if there is a possibility that an old one can be recycled.

'It is particularly welcome that the Commission was able to reach agreement with the industry, without introducing new regulation.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/art...U-pressure.html

LaoPo

[GraBangkok]

About time

So you buy your next phone with the option of no charger.

One charger for life

Good news all round unless you make chargers

[jackdanielsesq]

Induction charges - no plug required to say your mobile, PDA, Netbook, etc - have been around for some time now.

BR>Jack

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/40880/97/

[torrenova]

About time

So you buy your next phone with the option of no charger.

One charger for life

Good news all round unless you make chargers

I sincerely hope that they do allow you the option to buy phones sans charger but I wait until I see it before I believe it.

I too cannot believe that the companies actually have not done this before as they cannot surely have thought that making yeat another type of charger was somehow promoting value or exclusivity.

[nikster]

I think it's just going to be a mini USB. Which makes perfect sense.

[MTH]

I think it's just going to be a mini USB. Which makes perfect sense.

That’s what I’ve read too, a USB mini plug. Finally

[singa-traz]

When will this happen with Laptop? ...