USB-C only in EU from today?

@Flyboybob said:

And, why the British voted themselves out.

No, that was because loons like Farage led people to believe that they were going to be overrun by people of different colours and faiths.

It has nothing to do with standardising charging sockets: that’s seen as a good thing here and nothing to do with other ideas of exceptionalism.

@Flyboybob said:

It’s not a health and safety issue

Yes, it is. “E-waste represents 2% of America’s trash in landfills, but it equals 70% of overall toxic waste.” E-Waste Statistics "

Regulators should be working the problem from every possible angle. Waiting for industry or consumers to solve it, or shipping the waste to Asia, are not solutions.

Well, you may be correct as to the main reason they did Brexit, but wasting 10 years and wasting the public’s funds for such a stupid reason as standardizing computer power plugs. Will it take them ten more years to change this decision when the rest of the world has moved on from USB-C.

I find it interesting that the only people getting upset about this are from the US. A market which isn’t covered by this regulation. None of your suppliers need change. Maybe they themselves see advantages in this move. This thread was started with concern over Oticon accessories none of which are covered by the regulation anyway.

The wonderful thing about the internet, is that everyone has an anal sphincter and an opinion. And you can use both daily.

@Flyboybob said:

everyone has an anal sphincter and an opinion

I’m a fan of the golden rule. That means putting myself in another’s position. But how to imagine myself as a regulator when my experience in that department is limited? I think of it this way: They worked at earning experience so that they can drive someone to a necessary surgery at the hospital because the passenger can’t drive, doesn’t even know where the hospital is, and has no interest in doing the work to learn any of those things or to buy their own car. Yet the backseater insists on declaring the whole damned way that the driver should have bought a different car, is taking the long way, wearing the wrong colored clothes and forgot to say may I.

@Flyboybob said:

So we have to suffer because people we didn’t vote for are making stupid decisions that affect the future of computing.

Like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Elon?

Let’s just hope they aren’t let loose on life critical systems like the accountants a Boeing, eh?

@Flyboybob said:

Some of my products use USB-C and others lighting plugs. It’s a mess transitioning

So you’re annoyed about a transition, and you also disapprove of a regulation that will limit future transitions.

@Flyboybob said:

USB-C is an old technology and the EU is demanding it.

As others have pointed out all that is mandated is the physical interface. Normally a good thing to standardize and generally will help new applications and markets grow. Innovation can then be done based on this interface and in areas where companies can differentiate their products and add value.

As I mentioned above (but totally ignored by you). Apple (and others) are indeed innovating around this physical interface with its laptops / personal computer using Thunderbolt to bring more functions (multiple displays, high speed communications, power etc) all through a USB Type C connector. The only connector you need on an Apple personal computer.

Other high power devices (up to 240W) are also moving to USB Type C for power.

Having a physical interface defined (here USB Type C) is actually enabling a lot of innovation across many different applications.

@Flyboybob said:

However, in 2099, people in the EU will say, “Why are we the only people in the world charging our batteries with this old, and stupid USB-C plug.

Really?

The EU got everyone (apart from Apple) onboard with micro USB as the plug to charge mobile phones ~ 2010. Thank goodness because before that all non Apple phone used different connectors (even from the same manufacturer and replacement chargers were hard to find and very expensive and very consumer unfriendly). But from ~ 2010 at least then we had Lightning for Apple and micro USB for everyone else. US consumers (and others globally) definitely benefited from this with cheaper charger and cable options.

Fast forward we have USB Type C for everyone (again thank goodness).

You really think EU will still be mandating USB Type C in 2099. I have a bridge in London sell to you