Mobile phone chargers, along with mobile phones themselves, have changed a lot over the years. They’re typically now quicker at charging, with some modern smartphones chargeable within minutes, rather than hours.
The aesthetic and functionality of the mobile phone charger is now different to what is used to be, though the exact specification is dependent on the make and model of the phone.
We’ll dive into the main changes and the reasons behind them.
USB cables
Just like mobile phones, chargers in the past were big and heavy, and featured a standard connector. Nowadays, mobile phones chargers have become more adaptable and have gradually been reduced to simple USB cables.
USB cables such as the ones from RS are versatile and provide connections to a variety of devices through a standard interface. This means that consumers don’t necessarily need different chargers for different devices, helping to reduce e-waste and promote sustainability.
Gone are the days of receiving a new charger and plug with every phone, with many providers now charging extra, should you need a new cable.
USB-C is the most recent cable, which can charge smartphones and other devices as well as provide data transfer. These cables offer faster charging and better performance. In fact, EU legislation now requires all new smartphones to have USB-C compatibility, as well as support fast charging. Even Apple, who famously pushed back at the legislation, have since adopted this charging port specification.
Charging time
The charging of a mobile phone in the past would take hours and many chose to charge their device overnight. But, with newer technology, charging times have reduced significantly.
Many chargers can now top up a mobile phone battery to 80% within a matter of minutes, and certainly in under an hour.
Wireless charging
Device communications, connections and data transfer can often be carried out wirelessly, with wi-fi and cloud-based systems just two examples of this. But the charging of smartphones without a wired connection is also becoming increasingly popular.
But this is not yet the most efficient way to charge a device and takes longer than the fast-charging capabilities that wired connections offer.
The future of mobile phone charging
As the technology for wireless charging will inevitably gain traction, we can expect devices of the future to be manufactured with little or no ports, due to the lack of cable requirements. This is already being seen with wireless headphones and the drop in popularity of the traditional wired options.
However, there is a quite a way to go before the technology reaches the point where wireless charging offers the same performance and eco-friendly benefits as the new fast-charging cables.