All Cell Phones to Have Same Charging Port by 2012
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It said handsets would have a micro USB interface, already used to transfer pictures from digital cameras to a computer.
The initial group of companies that have signed for the change include Nokia, LG, Motorola, Samsung and Sony Ericsson.
Operators such as AT&T, Orange, Telefonica, T-Mobile and Vodafone are also part of the initiative.
The GSMA said that eventually it expected mobile phones to ship without a charging plug and cable because everybody would have one.
This should also lead to less waste and could yield energy savings because the agreement calls for chargers to meet efficiency targets, the group said.
2012 sounds a long way off, but if you look at it as the end of the year after next, plus one day, it’s not that distant. Even so, you can’t help wondering if the designs for 2011 handsets are already set in concrete.
Apart from the convenience factor, what other advantages come with the universal charger?
If the chargers are more efficient, then users will see a reduction in the amount of energy used and (in many places) a consequent reduction in greenhouse emissions from power stations.
And the industry suggests that selling chargers separately rather than including them with every phone will eliminate 13.6 to 21.8 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions currently associated with the manufacture and transport of chargers.
The expectation is that charger production may be halved.
“The mobile industry has a pivotal role to play in tackling environmental issues and this programme is an important step that could lead to huge savings in resources, not to mention convenience for consumers,” said Rob Conway, GSMA CEO and board member.
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