The EU has already decided to make USB-C mandatory for small and medium-sized electronics (crucially also for smartphones) from 2024. Some US politicians want to adopt a similar policy and now Brazil’s wireless regulator is asking locals if it should follow suit.
Anatel published public consultation 45/2022 to gauge the sentiment of Brazilian citizens and businesses, who have until August 26 to express their feelings. Unlike the new EU rules, which also include tablets, portable consoles, headphones, speakers, ebook readers and similar electronics, Anatel’s proposal only covers smartphones.
The agency wants to standardize not only the connector, but also the charging protocol. It will also have to be stated on the packaging and the manual what the minimum required power is and whether fast charging is supported. Interestingly, the plan is to make USB-C mandatory only for phones that support wired charging, leaving a door open for phones that can only charge wirelessly.
All of this is, of course, aimed at Apple, as other smartphone makers have already embraced USB-C (as has Apple itself for iPads and Macs). The company is reportedly already testing iPhones with a Type C port.
It is not the first time such a move has been considered. For example, in 2019 Anatel published a recommendation that defined the requirements for a common charger. The agency reiterates the same benefits as the EU and the US: reducing e-waste and increasing customer convenience, a win-win situation.
And it mentioned the same concern: that USB-C will stifle innovation. Modern smartphones have not yet reached the limit of the USB-C connector. It supports charging up to 240W and can power an 8K monitor. In addition, the EU made it clear that it is open to adopting a new, superior standard when the time comes (it was pushing microUSB as the common standard before, so it’s already done once).
Source | Via (in Portuguese)