You might soon use one charger for all your devices in India. Details here
The government of India is exploring the possibility to adopt one charger or a common charger for all electronic devices like mobile phones, bluetooth earphones, smart watches, tabs, e-readers, headphones and probably laptops too. If this is implemented, it will relieve us from the headache of carrying multiple chargers at all times, will reduce future e-waste, and also help India meet global climate commitments.
The only one who might be worried about this shift? Apple.
If you open your bag, you are most likely to carry three to four chargers on any given day. One for your mobile phone, one for your laptop, another to charge your bluetooth earbuds, and another charger for your android tablet probably. Though our lives have been tied up and crumpled under the burden of these cables, carrying around messy wires may not be necessary going forward.
Why are we thinking of shifting to a one-charger Policy?
1. Multiple commitments to reduce global emission levels:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the concept of LiFE ie. Lifestyle for the Environment at the UN Climate Change Conference (CoP 26) in Glasgow in November 2021. India has also updated its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and has committed to reducing the emission intensity of the GDP by 45% by 2030 to fight climate change. (NDC is a climate action plan to cut emissions and each party to the Paris Agreement is required to revise emission standards every 5 years). The one-charger policy will help reduce electronic waste and meet our emission standards.
2. Following other developed counties:
The European Union (EU) proposed the one charger policy in June 2022 and brought out a rule that will come into force two years from now. As per the rule, brands in the EU will have to ensure that all their small and medium-sized devices are compatible with one standard kind of charging port, the USB Type-C. Once the law is passed, there will be a grace period of 24 months for phone manufacturers and 40 months for laptop manufacturers in the EU to help them make the switch.
Will Apple change its charging mechanism? Apple phones use the lightning port for charging and require a different cable whereas android phones like Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, and RealMe work with type C charging ports. Bluetooth earphones have type C charging and so do Kindle e-books. Though Apple has been considering switching to the type C port, if rules are passed on the same lines in India, they will have to implement this change in its products.