The Brazilian National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) has begun a public consultation on a proposed mandate that all cellphones sold in Brazil use USB Type-C chargers. Earlier this month, the European Union settled on a standard charging port for handheld electronic devices including smartphones, tablets, headphones, and cameras. The latest plan from Anatel, however, is limited to mobile phones.
Apple would be impacted by the law since the corporation continues to employ a proprietary connector rather than adopt USB Type-C. Lightning cables are used to power iPhones, whereas USB Type-C connections are used on Android phones.
This week, Anatel launched a public consultation (45/2022) to determine how well Brazilian cell phone chargers adhere to established standards. The suggestion from the telecommunications regulator is based on an ongoing effort by the European Parliament to standardise the cable charging interface used by many different manufacturers across the world.
“Aware of the aforementioned movements in the international market, Anatel’s technical area evaluated the topic and presented a proposal with a similar approach for application in the Brazilian market, covering cell phone chargers,” Anatel said. “The implementation of this proposal depends on updating the technical requirements in force at the Agency for the assessment of conformity” (translated from Portuguese).
There will be less electrical waste and no need to buy a new charger every time you buy a new electronic gadget, according to Anatel. The focus of Anatel’s plan is on smartphones, but the scope of the European Union’s regulations include a wider range of electronic gadgets. It has been announced that the consultation period will end on August 26.
To alleviate undesired consumer charges and decrease e-waste, a similar action is being advocated for by a committee of US senators to the US Department of Commerce.
Apple might be influenced by the movement by various authorities to mandate a universal charger. As of now, all iPhone models are only compatible with Apple’s Lightning connector. The Lightning connector is used for accessories like AirPods and the Apple TV remote, whereas USB Type-C is supported by the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad Mini. As previously reported, Apple is apparently testing new iPhones and adapters that use the USB Type-C standard.
