On Wednesday, the Consumer Affairs Ministry said that smartphone makers and industry groups have agreed to a phased rollout of a standard charging connector for all electronic devices.
Representatives from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), IIT-BHU, and executives from smartphone companies such as Samsung and Apple, as well as hardware manufacturers such as HP, Dell, and Lenovo, attended the meeting. The announcement also said that a sub-group will be made to look into whether unified charging ports for wearables are possible.
During the meeting, stakeholders reached a broad consensus on the use of USB Type-C as a charging connector for electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. It was also discussed that a different charging port might be used for feature phones. Furthermore, officials did not provide a timeline for implementing the decision.
However, as per reports, it will occur once the change is implemented in the European Union. On the same day, an inter-ministerial task force meeting established a consensus. To recall, earlier this June, the EU passed a law to make USB Type-C the common charging standard for all mobile devices by 2024. Laptop manufacturers have until 2026 to comply.
The standardization of charging ports is a step toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) initiative, which asks people all over the world to do “mindful and deliberate usage” instead of “mindful and wasteful consumption.” The LIFE mission seeks to establish and foster a global network of “Pro-Planet People” (P3) who will embrace and encourage eco-friendly lifestyles.
The Department of Consumer Affairs will also study a uniform charging port for wearables. The subgroup will comprise industry, educational, etc. representatives. Reports said that the Environment Ministry could also do an impact assessment on how uniform charging ports affect e-waste.
Speaking at the meeting, Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, said:
Industry should overcome inertia in adopting a uniform charging port in the interest of consumer welfare and prevention of avoidable e-waste.