[biz-engineer]

By autumn 2024, USB Type-C will become the common charging port for all mobile phones, tablets and cameras in the EU.
Deal on common charger: reducing hassle for consumers and curbing e-waste | News | European Parliament

[MarkJerling]

Cool. I already have a few USB-C type devices.

[RobA_Oz]

It’s the right time, if not past it, really. People finger-point at Apple for their brand-exclusive charging ports, but they forget (or never knew, maybe) about the previous phone-makers’ brand-exclusive chargers, not to mention the three varieties of USB charger prior to the current USB-C, that were used by Android devices. I have several different perfectly good chargers from the pre-smartphone era that are useless to me now, even some mini-USB ones. To be fair, the micro-USB chargers still have some uses for me, but probably not for much longer.

Ricoh made the right call with the K-3iii charging port.

[Time Traveller]

It would be nice (but not to be expected) to see raw formats and camera batteries harmonized too.

[slartibartfast01]

Cool. I already have a few USB-C type devices.

My phone is the only USB-C device I have. The annoying thing is all the power banks I have are not USB-C so I still need both types.

[Fogel70]

I believe it is pretty much a standard feature on these products already (except for Apple).
But I hope it only applies on new released products from 2024. Otherwise Ricoh may have to discontinue K70, K1 II or 645Z without a replacement ready.

Edit: Reading more carefully it seems to only apply on devices that already charge with a wired cable directly. Not devices that charge the battery with an external charger.
So it does not seem to apply on above mentioned Pentax cameras.

Mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers that are rechargeable via a wired cable will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port, regardless of their manufacturer.

[Serkevan]

It’s the right time, if not past it, really. People finger-point at Apple for their brand-exclusive charging ports, but they forget (or never knew, maybe) about the previous phone-makers’ brand-exclusive chargers, not to mention the three varieties of USB charger prior to the current USB-C, that were used by Android devices. I have several different perfectly good chargers from the pre-smartphone era that are useless to me now, even some mini-USB ones. To be fair, the micro-USB chargers still have some uses for me, but probably not for much longer.

Ricoh made the right call with the K-3iii charging port.

Funnily enough, phone manufacturers (except Apple) harmonized on Micro USB all those years ago *because* the EU said "harmonize or we make a law".
Apple didn't want to, so now they made a law. And since there's a host of other devices now that are similarly-powered, they also get mandated USB-C (or whatever the future standard ends up being).

It was definitely overdue.

[UncleVanya]

My phone is the only USB-C device I have. The annoying thing is all the power banks I have are not USB-C so I still need both types.

When I transitioned to usb-c before buying an apple (needed for work) I used these: JSAUX Micro USB (Female) to USB C Adapter 4-Pack, Aluminum USB Type C Adapter with Keychain Fast Charging Compatible with Samsung Galaxy S10 S9 S8 Plus Note 9 8, LG V30 G5 G6, Moto Z Z2, more (Grey) amazon.com: JSAUX Micro USB (Female) to USB C Adapter 4-Pack, Aluminum USB Type C Adapter with Keychain Fast Charging Compatible with Samsung Galaxy S10 S9 S8 Plus Note 9 8, LG V30 G5 G6, Moto Z Z2, more (Grey) : Cell Phones & Accessories?tag=pentaxforums-20&

Mine all still work.

[DeKay]

Funnily enough, phone manufacturers (except Apple) harmonized on Micro USB all those years ago *because* the EU said "harmonize or we make a law".
Apple didn't want to, so now they made a law. And since there's a host of other devices now that are similarly-powered, they also get mandated USB-C (or whatever the future standard ends up being).

It was definitely overdue.

Micro USB is one of the worst connectors currently in circulation. There is no way to tell if a cable is “charge & data” or “charge only”.
And it’s so bloody flimsy. I can see why Apple said no way are we using that rubbish.

[Serkevan]

Micro USB is one of the worst connectors currently in circulation. There is no way to tell if a cable is “charge & data” or “charge only”.
And it’s so bloody flimsy. I can see why Apple said no way are we using that rubbish.

Yeah, MicroUSB is... eh. It's no wonder it got deprecated. USB-C is so much better. I'm pretty sure the EU waited until now because while Micro was *bad*, there's no technical excuse to avoid USB-C nowadays.

It's important, however, to bear in mind that Apple back then (and for 5 years longer) was using the 30-pin connector, which is big enough to require its own suitcase. At that point they could have gone with a normal USB

Regarding flimsiness... So are the Lightning cables, or any other cable for that matter. My ex chewed through Lightnings much faster than I went through MicroUSBs, she even stopped buying the Apple original ones for a while because of the short life. Though I honestly can't say if that was her handling or the cable itself. Besides, at any given point I'd have a dozen microUSB cables lying around because they are standard for almost everything... The other ones were a trip to the store when they broke

[jumbleview]

My phone is the only USB-C device I have. The annoying thing is all the power banks I have are not USB-C so I still need both types.

You may use Amazon Basics USB Type-C to USB-A Male 3.1 Gen2 Adapter Charger Cable - 3 Feet (0.9 Meters) - White : Electronics with common USB device.

[Zav]

To me this should imply an update on the 645 and on the K-1. If Ricoh proceeds with theses changes, we will have interesting cameras to come!

[roberrl]

A couple of items to add. The UK government has said that it will not follow the EU ruling, no surprise there.
And my personal experience of USB vs Lightning is that I constantly have to replace cables for the one Apple device we have - an IPOD.
I have only replaced the many micro-USB when there has been a mechanical failure in the cable, not the connector.

[UncleVanya]

A couple of items to add. The UK government has said that it will not follow the EU ruling, no surprise there.
And my personal experience of USB vs Lightning is that I constantly have to replace cables for the one Apple device we have - an IPOD.
I have only replaced the many micro-USB when there has been a mechanical failure in the cable, not the connector.

Interesting. My experience is different. The micro usb cables are more reliable than the old mini usb but they wear out faster than high quality lightning cables - cheap lightning cables are more of a disaster however. My favorite lightning cables are Anker brand. No cables, not even the good usbc last indefinitely. All of mine are fairly pampered and still rarely last more than a year.

[ThorSanchez]

@normhead just felt a great disturbance in the force.