A Call for Standards on Mobile Handset Cables

I mean, both the chargers and the data cables (since in some handsets, they are one and the same). We have tons of them — the mini-USB, the micro-USB, serial cable, the SE, Samsung and LG proprietary ports, the iPhone, the HTC ports and so many more.

That doesn’t even end there — a single manufacturer can even have multiple ports for different models of their handsets.

I do understand some of the reason why they had to adapt their own power/data ports and it’s primary because they don’t want their own chargers/data cables being used by users for other branded handsets. But for one manufacturer to use multiple ports for different models of their own brand is very weird.

Ok, so I lost my data/charger cable for my HTC Hero. The port lloks like your regular mini-USB but the trapezoid shape doesn’t actually fit the standard one. I had to go around and look for a replacement data/charger cable to no avail. I also have another cable from my Google Nexus One, which is basically just a rebranded HTC handset, but that one uses a micro-USB.

Can they just get along and adapt a single cable format? I’d vote for the micro-USB. It’s readily available in stores and you can buy them for just a couple hundred bucks.

Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

https://www.yugatech.com

30 Comments

patrickross says:

15 years ago

+1 on the mini USB. I’ve been using this cable to power up or sync the following:

1. An old XDA Atom
2. PSP
3. External HDs
4. HTC Hero
5. Motorola Bluetooth headset
6. External card reader
7. Nikon D80 (access photos)

It’s just more convenient. Plus, there’s a mobile car charger, too.
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Aja says:

15 years ago

micro-USB ftw!
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Abe Olandres says:

15 years ago

@patrickross – mini-USB might not be doable with very slim mobile handsets (under 10mm thick).
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iced says:

15 years ago

thats sic right dr
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Pestee says:

15 years ago

I believe that there has already been a consensus in Europe between all other major companies such as Nokia, Samsung, SE, Apple, etc. to use microUSB as standard for all their devices. This plan should be active already within this year, which is also why i guess most phones already have microUSB ports. Check out the link below or just search in Google.

http://www.mobileburn.com/news.jsp?Id=7372
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Ryan Ang says:

15 years ago

I think it isn’t they aren’t open for a standard cable, they just want to sell more accessories :P Eventually the market will dictate the need for a standard, like how they did with the 3.5mm jack on headsets.
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ANON says:

15 years ago

For the hero, actually a standard Mini-USB fits to it.
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GadgetMeister says:

15 years ago

I think there is already an EU ruling on mobile handset cables where in manufacturers need to agree on a standard and afaik, its the micro-USB.

[url]http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/29/nokia-apple-rim-and-others-agree-on-micro-usb-phone-charger-st/[/url]

[url]http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/12/ctia-jumps-on-the-micro-usb-bandwagon/[/url]
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GadgetMeister says:

15 years ago

I think there is already an EU ruling on mobile handset cables where in manufacturers need to agree on a standard and afaik, its the micro-USB.
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mcv says:

15 years ago

definitely microUSB ftw. :))
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