India Adopts USB Type-C as Standard Charging Port for Smartphones, More

Smartphones, tablets, and laptops in India may all come with a standard USB Type-C port for charging soon. The Central Inter-Ministerial Task Force reached an agreement on Wednesday regarding the adoption of USB Type-C as a uniform charging point for electronic devices. The working group included representatives of industry associations, academic institutions, and government departments of Varanasi and Central, as well as smartphone brands such as Samsung and Apple. The rollout of the standard charging port is expected to be done in phases.

The task force has it suggested that the USB Type-C port has been accepted as a common choice for electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The Department of Consumer Affairs has also set up a small task force to examine whether such a step could be taken in wearables such as smart watches. It was also debated whether the feature phone should get a standard charging port.

Participants in the meeting suggested that the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) should conduct a study to assess the possible impact of the adoption of USB Type-C as a standard charging point on electronic waste. Furthermore, it was agreed that its release should be done in phases.

There were no promised times in the meeting. According to the latest Economic Times reports, an industry official suggested that these changes may be implemented in India after the European Union (EU) legislation to that effect comes into force in Europe. This change is expected to have an impact especially for Apple, which has its connectors related to Lighting in its products.

EU legislation mandating USB Type-C as a standard charging port will go into effect in 2024. In addition, it is believed that the iPhone 15 series – expected to debut in the second half of 2023 – will ditch the lightning connector in favor. USB Type-C port.