Support for universal micro-USB phone chargers grows with ITU approval
By Chris Ziegler 
posted October 23rd 2009 5:40PM
posted October 23rd 2009 5:40PM
The entire wireless industry has been congealing around micro-USB as a universal charging standard for a while now, and we've taken yet another important step toward completely ridding the world of bizarre proprietary connectors (you know what we're talking about, Samsung) with ITU ratification this week. The UN-backed International Telecommunication Union isn't just making the move to make our lives a little less hellish, though -- it's also a strategic environmental move on a couple fronts, since universal chargers mean consumers will be able to hold on to a single charger over the life of several phones and modern chargers are far more power efficient than models that are even just a couple years old. The ITU move isn't binding or compulsory, but there's enough momentum behind micro-USB at this point that it's pretty much going to happen for any phone you'd ever consider buying going forward, and many of the big players have already hopped on the bandwagon. We won't lie, we won't miss the days of buying a $40 car charger that powers, like, two LG models.[Thanks, d0mth0ma5]
Micro USB is not flimsy or weak
I actually have a giant plastic box that's just filled with chargers for devices. It's next to impossible to find the right charger for some of my devices, even though I maintain somewhat of an effort to keep this box organized.
Well how about they let them charge off of any USB 5.0amp powered USB cable instead of just their charger and a computer. I've had two phones now that wont charge off of store-bought car power adapters with usb ports on them. Only my iPod charges off those.
5V, not 5A.
"modern chargers are far more power efficient than models that are even just a couple years old"
That statement contradicts the idea behind standardizing the cell phone charging industry. I think it's a ridiculous idea to make a universal charger.
Has HTC gotten on board yet?
what hampers this is manufactures that want to have their cake and eat it to. my motorola Q9M uses a microusb port for data and charging, it'll charge from a computer from any cable [sometimes activesync needs to be there on a xp machine.] i have gotten a blackberry charger to work with it, but an other brand's AC adapter would not work. an error popped up on the phone that this was not an approved motorola product. really, guys?