The Charging Battles In Europe Are Over, USB-C Won

While there may be philosophical differences around regulation on either side of the Atlantic, smartphone consumers have already seen benefits from the adoption of USB-C as a charging standard in Europe. Those benefits are about to reach the laptop market with today's implementation of the common charging standard for laptops in the EU. It's worth remembering how much a win this is for consumers. First of all, consumers are no longer restricted to a proprietary charging cable and port. There's no need to worry about losing a charger while travelling, the replacement cost if a cable becomes frayed, or having to buy a second, likely expensive, charger to have one in the home office and one at work. That anxiety has lifted today, at least for those buying new machines. Given time, it will be the same for those buying second-hand. Consumers still need to check that any purchases include a suitable charging brick and cable right now, but the move to USB-C (which has been underway ahead of the directive taking effect) will mean the second-hand market will become less reliant on original chargers, and the concern will fade. The EU mandate also required manufacturers to offer "no charger" variants of their hardware. For individual consumers, this should eliminate the need to bring yet another charger home. What it will need is consumers to have a better understanding of the different types of chargers, power ratings, and the importance of the cables. Just because this USB-C cable fits that charger doesn't mean your MacBook Air will charge quickly from it. While the technology will be smart enough to deliver the right charging rate to the attached devices, consumers may not be aware of the ins and outs of USB-C. With manufactuers now using a universal standard not just in Europe but increasingly around the world, competition around "how the plug is shaped" is no longer a market strategy. Instead, efficiency and charging speeds are coming to the fore. This is most noticeable in smartphones, with "empty to full" charging speeds regularly touted at product launches. It also means that innovation is not restricted to manufactuers. Third-party accessory manufacturers no longer have to navigate an IP-locked connection cable and can innovate themselves using the USB-C standard. Companies such as Anker and Ugreen sit alongside the first-party accessories as they seek to build smaller, faster and more desirable chargers now they know the market is "Everyone" and not just "the people who bought that smartphone model in the last 12 months." Previously, the common charger rules applied to mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and earbuds, gaming consoles, and portable speakers. Laptop manufacturers were given more time to transition to the USB-C standard, but now they join the masses, and the consumers have a better environment.