A new regulation has been declared by Saudi Arabia, mandating the uniformity of charging ports across all electronic devices. The requirement stipulates that all devices should adopt the USB-C standard, and the initial phase of implementation is scheduled to commence on January 1, 2025.
Representatives of the government have indicated that this initiative is geared towards enhancing user satisfaction, curtailing expenses and electronic waste, and facilitating high-caliber data transfers.
The directive stems from a collaboration between the Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization along with the Communications, Space, and Technology Commission.
The inaugural phase of implementation will encompass mobile phones and various other electronic gadgets such as headphones, keyboards, speakers, routers, and similar items. A subsequent phase will initiate on April 1, 2026, adding laptops and portable computers within its scope.
As per the assessments of these organizations, consumers stand to accrue savings of approximately $45 million, while also curbing charger consumption by over 2.2 million units annually.
The move comes shortly after the European Union mandated USB C ports for all gadgets sold in Europe in 2023. This is the main reason why the upcoming iPhone 15 series is being forced to use USB C this year, a lineup that has used Lightning or other connectors for over a decade.
But unlike Europe, companies will have until 2025 to switch their smartphones and other smaller devices to USB C ports in Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, laptops and other portable computers will have until 2026 to do so.
Via: gsmarena
