[ddeck]

It is efficient at generating the best outcome for the company in isolation, but that may not be an optimal outcome for society as a whole - externalities are typically not priced into the product.

For example, consider the 51,000 tonnes of redundant chargers that were estimated by the GSMA to have been distributed in 2008 prior to the common charger initiative[1]. One can argue that the costs of landfill, carbon impact (est 13-22 million tonnes/yr), pollution effects etc. should be priced into the product, but the reality is that they are not.

I have no view on the iPhone connector vs uUSB, but standardization has enormous benefits for consumers and society as a whole, and typically it takes an external agency to "encourage" it.

[1] GSMA analysis from UNEP, Gartner, European Commission Integrated Product Policy Pilot on Mobile Phones, University of Southern Queensland data.

[clauretano]

Regarding redundant chargers and their carbon impact: wouldn't it be wonderful if with every non-apple device using MicroUSB, devices didn't all come with a USB to Micro-USB cable and a mains to USB transformer?

Surely many of us have drawers full of these bits and only really need one or two to keep all our devices topped up.

[fps]

Unfortunately, they keep increasing the minimum charge amperage on devices, so the micro USB charger I got with my first android phone won't charge my newest one.