Canada’s 2023 budget promises to establish a common charging standard for smartphones, tablets, laptops, cameras, and other devices, much like the European Union (EU) recently did.
“Budget 2023 announces that the federal government will work with international partners and other stakeholders to explore implementing a standard charging port in Canada, with the aim of lowering costs for Canadians and reducing electronic waste,” Ottawa said in its 2023 budget, which was released to the public on Wednesday.
Late last year, the EU set a deadline of December 28, 2024, for all new phones (and more) sold in the region to use USB-C for charging. The move will force tech giants like Apple to adopt the port as standard on all of their consumer electronics, saving consumers the hassle and cost of having multiple cables to charge their devices.
Apple is set to switch to USB-C on the iPhone as early as this year with the upcoming iPhone 15 lineup.
“Over the past decade, multiple chargers have been developed by manufacturers for phones, tablets, cameras, laptops, and other devices. Every time Canadians purchase new devices, they need to buy new chargers to go along with them, which drives up costs and increases electronic waste,” the 2023 budget plan explains.
The budget went on to reference the EU’s decision, and while the feds did not explicitly say they would establish USB-C as the common charging standard, there aren’t any other notable alternatives at this time.
Canada’s 2023 budget also promises to introduce a “targeted framework” for consumers’ right-to-repair, in addition to tackling junk telecom fees, like internet overage and roaming charges, that Canadians are forced to pay.
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USB 3.2 Type-C is fine.
Huh my iPhone been using the same charger since 2012, my MacBook been the same since 2015, my iPad been the same since 2018. Are we trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist? I work in the cell phone industry. 99% of consumer get the same device that they purchased previously. To me mandating a common port is just the government pretending to be doing something. The best connector always wins, let the market decide. What happens when a better connector than USB C comes out? We going to wait for the government to change the law lol? And if there are two competing better standards who decides then? Useless politicians that send d!ck picks on Twitter lol? Also lightning is the better connector than USB C when it comes to durability on the device, I see so many broken USB C ports cause the middle thing breaks, lightning doesn’t have that. Also what’s going to happen with all those useless lightning cables? Talking about electric waste, billions of cables heading to the landfill… what a joke.
Mike’s freedom of speech has returned!
Yes it has lol. Sorry Gary! That’s on me!
Not to mention that even within usb c, different cables and chargers all support different speeds, wattages and capabilities anyway. A cable could support 60, 100 or 140w and there’s no way to tell. Some cables only support usb 2.0 speeds (480 mbps), others support 40,000 mbps! The idea that USB C is universal is an illusion and a farce.
Canada <<<< EU. But egos... that's another story.
I feel like places need to update the female end of the charging cable. (Assume we can still use that terminology). Travelling at the moment with three cables (USB-C -> Lightning, USB-C -> Apple Watch, and USB-C -> USB-C). But then I also brought some older cables with USB-A, as hotels, planes, and cafe built-in chargers still use USB-A. (My carry-on bag is like a big knot of white cables, lol).
I’d certainly be in favour of these hotel & airplane outlets changing from USB-A to USB-C. If Canada implements USB-C ports on phones, maybe we’ll start to see USB-C wall ports everywhere. Hopefully.
This is a great idea if the government has the spine to see it through. Then sort of the cell phones companies. Canadians are getting gouged so bad on cell phone plans.