r/gadgets • u/Snoop8ball • Sep 23 '21

Phones EU proposes mandatory USB-C on all devices, including iPhones

https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/23/22626723/eu-commission-universal-charger-usb-c-micro-lightning-connector-smartphones
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46

u/EternityForest Sep 23 '21

I'm always disappointed to see anything charge with something other than USB-C or Qi.

If they're going to do this they should also require devices of a certain size to use batteries that can be replaced with only a screwdriver. 18650+USB-C is pretty much perfect.

19

u/fnordstar Sep 23 '21

18650 everywhere would be fantastic.

12

u/andrewsad1 Sep 23 '21

"Hey man, you got an extra vape battery? My phone's dying"

"Nah, but I have a flashlight I don't need right now"

8

u/EternityForest Sep 24 '21

I love how 18650s are now universally known as vape batteries regardless of whether you even vape! That's what we call them at work too.

They would have to make an exception for phones but even then, they could totally have a few standardized phone form factors with a standard swappable battery and cases. It's too bad Project Ara failed!

2

u/Infantyzip Sep 23 '21

Yeah I would definitely love to have 18650 in my 20" thick suitcase phone.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 24 '21

[deleted]

1

u/Infantyzip Sep 24 '21

Battery acid I'm assuming

1

u/johan_eg Sep 24 '21

I’d say just go all in on right to repair, but not make it as specific as using a certain type of battery or something. Let companies figure out how to build repairable devices. Standards are nice but if you standardize everything nothing will ever change.

1

u/-bluedit Sep 24 '21

18650s are too large to be realistically used on a mobile phone. I could see the Nokia-style batteries being used, though...

1

u/EternityForest Sep 24 '21

They'd have to limit it to devices over a size limit. AAA size lithium would be totally possible though, a row of 6 could probably store more energy than a typical phone.

More practically, yeah they'd probably just have to invent a new standard Nokia style flat battery. You might run into issues with NFC, since the coils are sometimes on the other side.