Banned Mobile Connector: Still in Use?

These are primarily cheaper devices that premiered before the ban was introduced. However, there was not much interest in them, so they are still in the warehouses of domestic sellers. In addition to “stupid” button models without an operating system, these are also smartphones.

With this older connector, they are according to Zboží.cz equipped, for example, with myPhone Hammer Energy 3G, Cubot X50, Aligator S5550 Duo, CPA Halo 28 or Evolveo EasyPhone FS models.

Despite the fact that there are still so many phones with a prohibited connector, manufacturers are not violating anything at all. These are run-of-the-mill models that have been on store shelves for more than a year.

Why didn’t the manufacturers immediately switch to the USB-C connector, when it was already clear that they would have to? MicroUSB connectors will cost the manufacturer a few cents cheaper. If you realize that the production of each such model is easily calculated for tens of millions of pieces, it can be quite a lot of money.

And the same is true of other segments of electronics – e-book readers, action cameras, tablets, etc. It is possible to find dozens of types of devices that still rely on microUSB connectors. The new rules do not only apply to smartphones, but also to other electronics.

For most devices, the regulation is valid from December 28, 2024, for laptops from April 2026. From these dates, manufacturers will no longer be able to market new devices with a connector other than USB-C. Of course, older models with other charging standards will continue to be sold for some time.

When it comes to a single USB charger, Apple is usually the most preferred company. It was she who resisted the introduction of the same standard for all devices and created her own lightning interface for iPhones.

And this, paradoxically, despite the fact that tablets and some laptops of this manufacturer have been able to be charged with USB-C chargers for a few years now.

However, Apple currently only offers all new phones with USB-C terminals. But you can still come across knock-off models on store shelves that are sold out and have an older lightning connector. For example, it is the iPhone SE from 2022.

The European Parliament voted for a single charger directive already in October 2022. The goal of the single charger is to reduce the amount of electronic waste and facilitate the use of mobile phones and other devices.

The European Commission has been dealing with a unified charger for several years, after negotiations with manufacturers of mobile phones and other electronics, it managed to reduce the market from several dozen terminals to only three. These are lightning (Apple), microUSB and USB-C interfaces.

In the case of laptops, however, a number of manufacturers use their own solutions for power connectors.