One-size-fits-all phone chargers have moved one step closer to reality, with a United Nations body approving their design.
The charger is essentially a USB plug that connects to an outlet. It has a micro-USB connector at one end, similar to those found on digital cameras, while the other side presumably plugs into a wall jack. The GSM Association, a global cell phone industry trade group, expects that the chargers will help cut down on greenhouse gases by 13.6 metric tonnes per year. CTIA, a U.S. wireless industry trade group, estimates that production will drop by 50 percent.
As I've said previously, I'm not clear on how the industry arrives at these estimates. The idea behind universal chargers is that you won't have to switch chargers every time you buy a new phone. That leaves two possibilities: Either you've got to buy the universal charger yourself initially, or every new phone will include one. The former scenario is worse for the consumer, but the latter would still require a lot, if not the same level, of production.
In any case, it's not clear yet how this universal charger will perform. Apple, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Qualcomm, RIM, Samsung and Sony Ericsson have previously endorsed the idea, but they're not required to participate. And I highly doubt that Apple will, given that it's iPhone already charges by USB through a proprietary cable. If Apple wanted to use a mini-USB jack instead of its classic iPod plug, it could have already done so.
Still, Apple's a different case because there's a whole industry around the design of its iPod jack. Other manufacturers may be more eager to sign on. Indeed, a Sony Ericsson spokesman told the BBC that the company plans to launch the universal charger internationally in the first half of 2010.
