The official announcement comes from the Indian government to set up expert groups who will work in adapting common chargers for smartphones and portable electronic devices. The announcement was made by the Consumers Affairs Secretary and there are much more details on shifting from common chargers considering e-waste.
EU Mandate Implementation: Type-C USB as a Common Charging Unit
Despite the EU policy – mandating all mobile phones and electronic items to shift to Type-C USB, the Indian government currently working on two types of chargers. The government takes the final decision once all the stakeholders share their views.
India, in a broader sense, might consider this as mandatory to introduce a standard charging type for consumers. The government will hold a meeting in the coming days where the discussion would revolve around ending the use of different chargers. The main intention of this discussion is to reduce the burden on consumers and prevent e-waste.
The initiative by the Indian government is the first step and follows a mandate unveiled by the European Union (EU) which says phone manufacturers to launch Type-C USB port devices in 2024.
The Indian government is planning to invite all the stakeholders to discuss various chargers for electronic devices. If companies serving in Europe and the US are doing the same, why can’t be it in India? Portable electronic devices – smartphones and tablets should have a common charger said an official to the PTI. If India restricts the change, such products might get dumped here.
Presently, major smartphone unicorns – Xiaomi, Realme, Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, Motorola, and Samsung have already adopted Type-C charging ports. However, some of these companies don’t offer chargers in the box and due to their fast charging capabilities, they offer Type A to Type C USB cables and a charger in the box.
If India confirms all the electronic devices to be Type-C ports, Apple would also be switching to a Type-C port and a few reports suggest that it will also include a Type-C port by 2024. Likely, the US is also deciding to adopt a charging standard for portable electronic gadgets. Two US lawmakers reported to Consumer Department to mandate the use of Type-C ports as common charging units to power tablets, smartphones, e-readers, and other devices by 2024.
