Rant: Just how many "mini-USB-C" plugs are there?!?

[BotchQue]

WARNING: Major rant approaching. Back away, then run for the main page, if you can't stand whiney folks. You've been warned.

So, just how many "mini" USB-C charging port/plug designs are there?

I have a few Apple devices that now feature mini-USB-C, and they all use a small, narrow, rounded-edge connector, and they're all the same. I now have a couple medical conditions that I've ordered some "cheep amazoid" (probably chinese-made) solutions (two that are actually working for me!) plus an inexpensive rechargeable flashlight that is actually a good design, and I've purchased two more for my vehicles. But, all of these items use a different mini-USB plug, and it's frustrating as hell. They all have trapezoidal designs (rectangle with edges slanted in) but I now have four, possibly five different sizes (each varying by tenths of a MM); some have wide-side up, some wide-side down, and my eyes aren't good enough anymore to just look at them and figure it out. Anyone else having these issues?

Thirty years ago or so I played keyboards/synths in local bar bands. The earliest synths I had (Yamaha DX-7 was my first) I could plug directly into the wall; that quickly changed as computer tech advanced so quickly back then (if a manufacturer built the power supply into the keyboard, they had to wait weeks/months for UL Lab approval, but if they used an already-approved 9v "wall wart", they could hit the market running, and so we were cursed with those damn things ever since). One of my wall-wart wires got damaged, and I went to the local Radio Shack (yeah, a long time ago) to get a replacement plug, and learned they weren't standardized AT ALL; the salesman showed me a set of replacement 9v-to-keyboard plugs, with forty-one different plug designs!!! WTFF?!?!?

I would've hoped our electronic industries would've learned something from previous years, but it looks like they haven't. Dammit. (/rant off)

 

[Pakaku]

Never heard of USB-C mini. You're probably talking about the older USB mini or USB micro, which are probably cheaper to build than USB-C since they are older slower connectors.

 

[Snørrbjørg]

There is only one USB-C connector (with male and female), no mini variant.

 

[joevt]

There's only one USB-C (male and female) and many types of non-USB-C. Maybe you can identify them with these:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_hardware#Connectors
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB

 

[Apple fanboy]

As others have said you are talking about USB mini or micro.
I understand your frustration. A was hike back Apple changed from lightning to USB c for iPhones and iPads.
The reason being the EU mandated that all phones should use this one connection to reduce waste.
So currently I have more Lighting connections in my house than USB C.
So I have a ton of different lightning wires and not many USB c.
My wife’s new iPad Pro has USB c. So now I have 2 wires at each outlet where she charges (bedroom and lounge). Looks a mess.
I still have micro and mini usb for my Bowes QC35 headphones and some portable fans.
Not sure how making me buy more cables and eventually phasing out lightning cables is supposed to help the environment.

 

[Bigwaff]

USB: Port Types and Speeds Compared | Eaton

With each new version, Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports and cables become faster and more functional, supporting data transfer, video and charging, all at the same time.

tripplite.eaton.com

 

[theluggage]

A was hike back Apple changed from lightning to USB c for iPhones and iPads.
The reason being the EU mandated that all phones should use this one connection to reduce waste.

...yes, it's all the EU's fault, except... somehow Apple were the only ones who needed to be "forced" to use USB-C on their phones at the 11th hour, most other manufacturers started switching in the late 2010s.

Which is odd - Apple were an enthusiastic early adopter of USB-C (and likely contributed to the spec) and in 2016 started pushing it out to MacBooks as the One True New Connector, replacing USB-A, MiniDisplayPort, HDMI... and forcing the Mac-using world to stock up on dongles and new cables - a major pain at the time - but not, for some reason, on the iPhone, where it would have made a lot more sense at the time, whereas it was far to early to go all USB-C on laptops and desktops (and they eventually had to backpedal on the MacBook Pro).

Could it be, maybe, that Apple didn't benefit from third-party sales of USB-A, HDMI etc. cables (Apple had even opened up the MiniDP spec) previously used by Macs, whereas Apple still got a slice of all legitimate Lightning device sales via the MFI programme? Hmm...

Anyway, Lightning is past its sell-by date: with only two data lanes it can't even do USB 3 without an active dongle, let alone the x2 USB 3.2 protocols, USB4, Thunderbolt or 4-lane DisplayPort (for 5k and DP 1.2 4k displays). That's becoming increasingly relevant with the top-end iPhones and iPad Pros being pushed as content creation devices - the iPad started to switch a couple of years back at which point it just makes sense to have the same connector across iPhones, iPads and Macs.

As for saving the planet... yeah, right, everything is wrapped in the (recyclable) green flag these days, but if you want to save the planet, keep your perfectly good mobile phone or Mac for more that 2 years and resist the shiny new stuff... In more practical terms, it's about consumer choice: standardising on USB-C for charging makes it easier to buy third-party devices - particularly chargers - and have more confidence that they will work, support fast charging etc. Manufacturers can't force you to buy expensive, proprietary power supplies and cables... and what might help the environment is removing the necessity to bundle a minimal charger with every new device.

I have a shelf full of 5-10W iDevice chargers which - although they can be used since they have USB-A sockets - are pretty useless because they are the minimum wattage needed for the device they shipped with and don't have the power needed by modern devices. Now I can have a single multi-port USB-C charger which is still light enough for travel and which can charge several devices on the go & should serve several generations of gadget. The trick is to think ahead and not be persuaded to buy a minimal charger with your device.

 

[BotchQue]

Thanks for the info guys, I learned a few things.