Universal Phone Charger Coming

Instead of each manufacturer having its own charger, companies agree on a universal charger by 2012.

You know the scenario – you get a new cell phone, and it comes with a charger that will only work with that brand. So you add that older charger to the tangle of other old chargers in a kitchen drawer.

Well, that’s going to change. By 2012 the vast majority of handsets will support a micro USB universal charger, one that will use 50% less energy on standby.

Michael O’Hara, marketing director for the GSM Association, said:

"This is a broad agreement that will move the industry to a single, energy-efficient charger for all mobile phones."

Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG, T-Mobile, Orange, 3, AT&T and Vodafone are all backing the plan, the BBC stated.

In a statement, Mitti Storckovius, director of environment, devices at Nokia said:

"By supporting this industry initiative on common charging solutions, and enabling consumers to choose if they need a charger with every new device or can re-use existing ones, we can contribute further in improving the industry’s environmental footprint."

Currently there are 30 different types of charger in use across Europe, and the EU has been putting manufacturers under pressure to come up with a universal solution.