Starting in 2011, most cellphones sold in the European Union will have a single charger compatible with most devices. So far 10 major hardware providers including Apple, Motorola, Samsung and Research In Motion, have signed on to a pact that would mean no more proprietary connectors incompatible with other phones. It would appear however that the rest of us will have to wait some time before the companies jump on board in North America and elsewhere. Without the power of government behind such a move the manufacturers are slow to make change happen and 3rd party vendors do not wield enough clout to push for change. The current practice is wasteful and inconvenient and perhaps the Euro experiment will cause the phone manufacturers to see the benefits of a single standard. One can only hope!
Sources: CNN and Europa press release
