Your Phone Charger Could Be Permanently Changing

Phone chargers are apparently the single most important issue that the United States government needs to handle right now.

By Britta DeVore | Published

phone charger

We’ve finally found something to bring both sides of the aisles together – phone chargers! That’s right, while it seems like all other causes are trapped in an eternal purgatory hellscape with both sides being beyond stubborn, everyone seems to agree that a universal setup for your phone charger is a necessity. The news comes after the European Union’s decision to make the USB-C charging port the across-the-board official option in 2024. Quickly hoping to follow suit, a group of United States senators is picking up the EU’s torch and carrying it to the floors of the Capitol building.

The phone charger task force is being led by Ed Markey, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders, who, between the three, is going to need to invest in some new phones and make some updates from their Motorola RAZRs if they want the USB-C port to work for them. But, we digress. According to The Verge, the reason behind the universal port is actually founded in thoughtfulness as an environmental and monetary-based one with hopes of cutting back on waste, environmental damage, and money spent by consumers. In their letter, the trio asked their peers to help them “restore sanity and certainty to the process of purchasing new electronics.” This is honestly the thing the older generation of senate members was born for – helping fellow boomers confidently buy their phones. 

But, on a serious note, purchasing a new phone is a hassle. If you’re an Apple customer, you’ll know that almost every time you upgrade your product, there’s a new port rendering your last phone charger completely useless. And then there’s always the friend riding in your car that needs an android charger and is completely out of luck. If the bill passes, you’ll be able to go right ahead and pass your USB-C to them, bringing life back into their batteries. 

That being said, the quest for a universal phone charger will be an uphill battle. The big companies know that they will lose a copious amount of money should the bill be passed, meaning they’re sure to put up quite a fight – in the form of dollar bills – to make sure chargers stay just the way they are. Adding to their letter, the phone charger patriots cited the annoyance of being forced to “rummage through junk drawers full of tangled chargers” in order to find the right fit. I don’t know if it’s imagining an impassioned Bernie Sanders reading this or just the idea that this is where we’re at politically in 2022, but this is an incredible statement.

So when can we expect the great phone charger transfer to take place? That’s very up in the air. If we’re basing our timeline off of the EU, they struggled for years to bring about the charger change, and judging by the United States’ track record with any issue in general, maybe our children’s children will be using a then outdated USB-C port. After all, Apple announced their overall plan is to make all their devices completely port-less at some point in the future. But sure, let’s focus on that rat’s nest of phone chargers instead of harder-hitting issues.