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A consortium of the world’s biggest mobile phone manufacturers are embarking on a joint effort to create a universal mobile phone charge system.
The move will see devices from the likes of Nokia, Apple and Sony Ericsson use a Micro USB connector on new products from 2010. The participating companies together represent around 90 per cent of the mobile phone market.
It means that numerous handsets can be charged using a single plug, ending a common complaint which has hung around for over ten years, ever since mobile phones mushroomed in popularity in the late nineties.
Though a universal charge system marks a breakthrough in convenience, the ten participating mobile phone manufacturers had submitted a Memorandum of Understanding to the European Commission apparently on the grounds of improving environmental standards.
“I am very pleased that industry has found an agreement, which will make life much simpler for consumers,” said Guenter Verheugen, the EU industry commissioner.
“They will be able to charge mobile phones anywhere from the new common charger. This also means considerably less electronic waste because people will no longer have to throw away chargers when buying new phones.”
Micro USB connectors are not o be mistake with the current Mini-USB interface, with Micro USB connectors being visibly smaller. However, the universal standard could mean that the vast majority of future mobile phones could be charged through the PC.
The companies involved are Apple, LG, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Qualcomm, Research In Motion, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Texas Instruments.
