On Sat, 2021-09-25 at 16:03 +1000, Ivan Trundle wrote: > > On 24 Sep 2021, at 11:07 pm, David <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > > > In any case, a normal Lithium device battery probably doesn't leave > > much scope for special charging regimes. > > It does, actually. > The cable (and interface) providing the power is one element, but the > charging block is something else - often with smarts built in to > ensure optimal charging rates (not just a single output),
The smarts can go in the device just as easily as in the charger. USB-C can provide up to 3A right now. The standard will soon be extended to allow higher voltages and higher wattages, allowing USB-C to power laptops and similar devices. 5A, 240W, 50V. > and with different requirements for newer or larger devices (such as > iPads etc) seeking higher power outputs, the absurdity of trying to > standardise the input cable is very 1990s in approach. Absurdity? **Thousands of tonnes of charging apparatus are being discarded every year**. OK, maybe demanding a standard charger connection is not the best solution. What *would* be a better solution? Seriously, what does the world need more - less waste or an iPad capable of jump-starting your (ICE) car? > One way that Apple is likely to work around the rule is to switch to > wireless charging (if ever there was an ill-fitting description of a > technology, this is it) for future devices, and abandon the whole > USB-C/D/E/F etc dilemma. Apple is not alone. Lots of manufacturers are going wireless, sometimes with and sometimes without a cable option. But wireless and "more power" are antithetical. If Apple wants more voltage or more amps than USB-C can provide (which seemed to be the main reason you were saying they couldn't use it), I sure hope it's not looking to induction to supply it. Power wastage, even for very accurately positioned devices, is higher for wireless compared to wired. Bad design or just putting the device down a few millimetres off the right position can hugely affect the efficiency of the charging process. Wireless charging generally causes more heat too, which lowers battery life. Imagine that at scale - billions of people all over the world, using more energy than they need to and discarding devices more often. Oh - and wireless chargers are more complicated, more expensive and thus even more wasteful when discarded. It's a great solution for any manufacturer of small rechargeable devices - not just Apple. It says "screw you" to the Eurocrats, does an end run around those pesky rules, helps nobody else, slightly increases the rate of obsolescence and externalises an environmental cost. Perfect! Regards, K. -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Karl Auer ([email protected]) http://www.biplane.com.au/kauer GPG fingerprint: 61A0 99A9 8823 3A75 871E 5D90 BADB B237 260C 9C58 Old fingerprint: 2561 E9EC D868 E73C 8AF1 49CF EE50 4B1D CCA1 5170 _______________________________________________ Link mailing list [email protected] https://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
