What you need to know
- The USB-C charging solution is apparently set to become standardized in India.
- During an inter-ministerial meeting, industry stakeholders reportedly agreed to adopt the USB-C standard.
- Samsung and Apple were said to be in attendance, with all of them supporting the plan.
India appears to be following Europe’s lead in standardizing USB-C as the universal charging solution for all devices, according to multiple reports, suggesting that this standard may spread to the country in the future.
Reuters (opens in new tab) reports that electronics industry stakeholders in the country have agreed to adopt USB-C as the standard charging method for smartphones, laptops, and tablets. However, the standard will be implemented in stages, so it may be some time before USB-C becomes the universal charging standard in India.
The agreement was made during a government task-force meeting with various groups representing technology players in India. These include Apple and Samsung, with the latter already using USB-C ports on many of its Android phones. PC vendors including HP, Dell, and Lenovo were also said to be present at the meeting.
For Apple, adopting USB-C is expected to have a significant impact on its smartphone and tablet lines, which currently use its proprietary Lightning port. Furthermore, Lightning accessories account for a portion of the tech giant’s revenue, and removing this solution from its products could hurt the business in the long run.
However, the iPhone maker expressed no opposition to the plan, according to The Economic Times (opens in new tab). This is hardly surprising given that Apple’s SVP of Marketing Greg Joswiak previously confirmed plans to switch to USB-C for future iPhone models in keeping with an EU order.
In June, the European Parliament introduced a law that would require device makers to include support for USB-C cables in their products. The policy was approved last month, and companies must comply by autumn 2024. According to the Parliament, the goal is to cut down spending for e-waste in the region.
In addition to smartphones, laptops and Bluetooth devices will also be required to ship with USB-C ports in the future. The Indian government plans to form a group that will look into the viability of standardizing USB-C charging ports for earphones and smartwatches.
Given India’s large share in the smartphone market, the imminent standardization of USB-C in the country may persuade other countries to follow suit.
