The struggle to borrow a charger with the right pin in the office or in class when battery turns critical is real for a lot of Indian smartphone users. The USB port most have been familiar with is the Type A USB port, but the Type C has emerged as a fast charger at a time when usage is high. Following countries in Europe and South America, now India has also made it mandatory for all devices to have the same kind of charger.
Convenience for users
Now finding the right charger won’t be an hassle, since all concerned parties at a meeting of a government task force have agreed to adopt USB Type-C as the default charger for all phones. The idea is to have a standard charger for all smartphones and another one for low-cost, run of the mill feature phones. The government is also pushing for a common charger for phones, tabs, laptops and other portable devices, so that people don’t need to carry separate chargers for each.
iPhones to be at par with the rest
This is significant at a time when a major brand such as Apple stopped selling phones without chargers, forcing new iPhone users to buy expensive lightning chargers unique to the device. The tech giant was forced to add Type-C chargers to the iPhone, after the European Union made it mandatory for all smartphones to have the same charging points by 2024. The move means people can continue to use their old chargers even after they upgrade to a new handset, while retaining efficiency.
Benefits compared to other chargers
The UBC Type-C charger is faster than any other, including Apple’s lighting charger which is USB 2.0 and hence dated.
USB audio to replace the conventional audio jack with the USB Type-C port is also being tested.
A shift from the bulky USB ports to the more compact Type-C is more suitable for the slimmer smartphones.
The USB Type-C charger is also more affordable as compared to Apple’s lightning charger.
Can reduce e-waste pile
Apart from the issue of convenience, India had an e-waste burden of five million tonnes in 2021, as people replace devices and electronics frequently thanks to purchasing power and more options as well as updates. People not dumping old chargers can significantly bring down the amount of electronic waste, and make it easier to recycle products.
