Brazil Pushes for USB-C Ports for All Smartphones by 2024

30 JUNE 2022 - Add another country to the list of those looking for one standard charging port. The Mac Observer says Brazil looks set to require USB-C as a common charging port for smartphones sold in the country.

Brazil is far from the first country to make such a move. In early June the European Union said it had reached a deal to make USB-C the single charger type for smartphones and most other electronics sold across the region. That’ll start to go into effect in 2024. A similar proposal came from members of the US Congress just last week. While US lawmakers did not specify a preferred connector type, they did argue that:

Innovation should benefit consumers. It should not come at their expense, saddle them with incompatible accessories, and compel them to purchase different charging equipment for each device they own.

And I guess we’ll be done with innovation after that.

I said Brazil “looks set” to opt for USB-C only. A couple of points of note - first, as it stands right now, the one-connector rule would be for smartphones only - at least for the time being. The second point, this is not a done deal. The Brazilian regulatory agency Anatel has opened the proposal for comment. Those close on 26 August 2022. “If approved,” The Mac Observer says, “smartphone manufacturers including Apple will have to follow the rule by July 1, 2024.”