NEW DELHI : India shall be adopting USB-C sort as a typical charging port for good gadgets, with stakeholders reaching a consensus at a gathering of an inter-ministerial activity drive, shopper affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh stated on Wednesday.
The federal government held wide-ranging consultations to standardize charging ports for all appropriate good gadgets, however it’s but to achieve a call on chargers for low-cost characteristic telephones.
With common chargers shoppers will now not want a special charger each time they buy a brand new gadget. In addition to, the transfer will even scale back huge quantities of e-waste.
In 2021, India is estimated to have generated 5 million tonnes of e-waste , solely behind China and the US, in accordance with an ASSOCHAM-EY report, Digital Waste Administration in India.
“In the course of the assembly, a broad consensus emerged amongst stakeholders on adoption of USB Kind-C as a charging port for digital gadgets comparable to smartphones, tablets and laptops. Additional, it was deliberated {that a} totally different charging port could also be adopted for characteristic telephones,” Singh added. Many superior economies are transferring towards customary charging gadgets and ports. The EU seeks to make USB-C port customary for all gadgets. On 7 June, the EU handed provisional laws requiring smartphones, together with Apple’s iPhone, to be outfitted with the USB-C port for wired charging by mid-2024, in accordance with a Bloomberg report.
A key concern for India is that when the EU makes the shift, out of date telephones and tools may very well be dumped right here, a second official stated, requesting anonymity.
Wednesday’s assembly was attended by representatives of Indian Institute of Know-how-Kanpur, Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Know-how, Confederation of Indian Trade, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Trade, and the ministry of setting, forest and local weather change.
The ministry of shopper affairs has additionally fashioned a sub-group to look at the feasibility of uniform charging ports for wearable gadgets like good watches.
Stakeholders agreed on a phased roll-out of uniform charging port for “efficient implementation and straightforward adoption”, the official stated. “Trade ought to overcome inertia in adopting a uniform charging port for shopper welfare, and prevention of avoidable e-waste.”
An affect examine is prone to be performed by the setting ministry to “assess and look at” the affect of the changeover to a uniform charging port on e-waste technology, he added.
“Globally, the shift is in the direction of USB-C ports, so it will make sense for us to undertake it. One essential level is that the speed of technological obsolescence within the digital trade may be very excessive and what’s in immediately, is out tomorrow,” stated Ajay Garg, member, Digital Industries Affiliation of India.
The Centre is of the view that India ought to transfer to 2 forms of customary charging gadgets, one for good telephones and transportable gadgets comparable to laptops and tablets, and one other for characteristic telephones, which have a much bigger market share, the patron affairs secretary had instructed trade representatives whereas inviting them for consultations.
With a coverage for common chargers in place, officers hope, phone-makers will deduct the price of chargers in product packaging, as most shoppers can have the requisite chargers and charging equipment.
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Supply: Live Mint