One single phone charger for all phones!
By ahgong
@ahgong (10064)
Singapore
February 18, 2009 8:27pm CST
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,39616139,00.htm
[i]Major phone makers and mobile operators have agreed to adopt a single interface for handset chargers, the GSM Association announced on Tuesday.
By 2012, more than half of new handsets shipped will use Micro-USB as the interface for charging, the mobile trade body said at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. People will be able to use a single charger to revive devices from the 17 manufacturers and operators participating in the initiative.
The adoption of Micro-USB as a common standard has several advantages for users and the industry, the GSM Association (GSMA) said. In particular, it allows manufacturers to stop shipping a new charger with every handset, and it lets buyers avoid the need to have multiple chargers for different devices.[/i]
Wow... if they really do this, we no longer have to fumble for a charger for the few phones we own!
IT is both good and bad news.
The good news is, we can have one charger to meet all our charging needs.
The bad? It could mean that new phone purchases may no longer come with a charger as you already have one with the existing phone you are using.
I wonder when this implementation will go to the rest of the world other than Europe.
Do you think this is good news? Or do you think it is bad?
2 people like this
10 responses
@victorywp (3524)
• United States
19 Feb 09
oh no that will be a bad news for me because four years ago i already standardized all my electronic devices to be based on mini-usb standard! so currently my cellphone, mp4 player, pda, digital camera, etc. are using mini-usb standard!
anyway, i think it is the will of God that the time has come for me to change all my electronic devices to be based on the new micro-usb standard. thanks for giving me reason to change my old things with new ones, LOL!
it is a good news actually, at least in the future, it wouldn't be a problem for me to borrow a charger from anyone at anytime & anywhere!:)
2 people like this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
Well, if you are already on the mini USB chargers, you do not have to worry much.
From what I read, the new standard IS to use the mini USB for charging the new phone models that are made to meet this new standard.
SO, you can sleep well knowing you already have the chargers for it. 
Imagine, in future, with mobile phone doubling up as data devices, the same point used for charging can also be used for data transfer as well. 
Imagine, in future, with mobile phone doubling up as data devices, the same point used for charging can also be used for data transfer as well. 
@victorywp (3524)
• United States
20 Feb 09
but i thought the news is saying micro-usb not mini-usb? micro-usb would be a little smaller than mini-usb, from what i think, just like the micro-sd is smaller than mini-sd? at least the micro-sd has an external adaptor to make it useful for mini-sd slot too.
1 person likes this
@fluffysue (1482)
• United States
19 Feb 09
This would be fabulous! I hope it really happens. I probably have 5 phone chargers right now, and only one that works with my phone. Two were from previous phones, and two I bought when I could not find the charger for my current phone. Both of them fit the phone, but neither of them actually charges the phone properly. So the only charger I can use is the one that came with the phone, I am in big trouble, as I'll need to order a new one from Virgin Mobile. By which point they will probably have discontinued that model and all its accessories. So I am very happy about this. 
(Of course now I am thinking it probably won't apply to my phone service, but we'll see.)
(Of course now I am thinking it probably won't apply to my phone service, but we'll see.)2 people like this
@naka75 (795)
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
It sounds like a good news for compatibility but I don't see how it could help save the environment. Though one could say we don't have to throw away the old chargers when upgrading to new phones, but aren't we getting a new charger that comes with the new phone? Then you have two chargers of different designs but with same micro USB connection? What I suggest is all the manufacturers should decide to only sell one universal charger for all phones, but there could be certain technical difficulties to overcome, as different phones use different batteries. I think the unification of chargers would have more impact if implemented on laptops.
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
Well, if they really implement this single standard charger, they may well do away with the charger with new handsets purchase.
The charger may become an optional item instead of a packaged item.
Thus the savings.
The only other thing I can think of is the manufacturing process.
No more different molds to make the different chargers.
One single design for all their chargers will do.
And if the micro USB is used, for all you know, you do not even need a charger no more. Just a software installation and a simple USB dongle to your PC or laptop.
That is savings, both in manufacturing and in materials which is saving the earth cos less resources is used to allow the new handsets to be charged. 
The laptop idea is good too. It may happen one day. You never know.
The laptop idea is good too. It may happen one day. You never know. @ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
23 Feb 09
True. But if you are travelling, and having to carry so many chargers, I guess the quick charge would be good enough to keep you going for that short period when you are away from your home.
Cos it really is a hassel to have to carry so many kinds of charger when you are travelling.
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
19 Feb 09
It's definitely good news.. haha =D It's so much convenient and that i need not have so many kinds of chargers at home.. hehe ^_^ ON top of that, if i were to be out of my house and my phone is flat, i'm able to use that 'one' charger even though my phone is of different model and brand ^_^
BUt one should not worry about not getting a new charger when buying a new phone, because not everybody can changing their phones so frequently, and thus the need for charger will always be there ^_^ After all, it's a package.. haha =D
Hopefully, this implementation will be available to rest of the world and not just europe as it's something good ^_^
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
Yeah, I do agree with you that is would be so much more convenient.
Imagine, you do not have to handle so many different chargers when you are travelling. Especially if you have different phones to carry for different needs.
Well, I am sure the rest of the world will adopt this standard once it is proven successful in Europe.
So, not much worries there. Cos most of the popular models we have now are also from Europe. Think Nokia, HP... etc.
1 person likes this
@bethovenmp (17)
• Philippines
19 Feb 09
What a great plan. No more worries might arise when cellphones got low-bat. I can charge anytime and ask anybody for a charger. But I dont think this can do somthing good for cellphone companies. Product identity is lost. For me if the only reason to do this is for users convenience and products indentity is sacrificed, there is nothing important to deal with this suggestion.
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
Well, that being the case, product identity will then have to fall on the handset itself. From the design to the features it can carry.
As it is, the chargers only play a small part in the identity of a phone. I do not think this will affect how people will view the phone much other that the convenience a single common charger brings.
@Rskarthik24 (66)
• India
19 Feb 09
a single charger for nearly 17 makes of cellphones will really be a good idea. many people having more than one cellphone will adore it.
1 person likes this
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
19 Feb 09
wow finally this is going to happen. micro-usb is the way to go man. i have this charge for my motorola phone. now that the phone has been traded off, the cable is not serving any purpose.
this is also a very environmentally friendly move. imagine the number of chargers we discard because our current phone can no longer make use of it? i think this will bring temperature down by at least half a degree. 
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
That is the idea behind this move to standardize the different chargers.
It will reduce wastage in terms of manufacturing. And reduce wastage in terms of discarding the old chargers for newer ones.
In fact, some of the newer PDAs are already using the mini USB points for charging.
With this new standardization enforced, more phones in future will be using the mini USB to do the same job!
@saichandtalluri (1486)
• India
19 Feb 09
Ya it may be a good news because i need not carry a charger when ever i go away from my home. But still i have one small Question i hope different phones have different power needs then how can one single charger handel all the power requirements.
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
19 Feb 09
Well, looking at the report, if the different mobile phone operators decided on a standard, it would be the same for all the handsets that are made to fit this standard.
I mean, it would make no sense to have one single charger standard, but the voltage for each one is different.
But the standard have not been implemented yet. I am curious to see which generations of phone will be doing that.
Let's just wait and see how it goes. 
But the standard have not been implemented yet. I am curious to see which generations of phone will be doing that.
Let's just wait and see how it goes. 
@venkataraman_vc (5293)
• Chennai, India
19 Feb 09
This is real good news for me. But, the bad news is it would take long time.
The only disadvantage I see is, people will misplace their charger and claim mine to be theirs. This often happens in my office, since most of us use the same model. We have been provided mobile phones by our employer, so they are the same model.
1 person likes this
