As of June 14, 2007, all new mobile phones applying for a license in
China are required to use the USB port as a power port.
[38][39] This was the first standard to use the convention of shorting D+ and D-.
[40]
In September 2007, the
Open Mobile Terminal Platform group—a forum of mobile network operators and manufacturers such as
Nokia,
Samsung,
Motorola,
Sony Ericsson and
LG—announced that its members had agreed on micro-USB as the future common connector for
mobile devices.
[41][42]
On February 17, 2009, the
GSM Association announced
[43] that they had agreed on a standard charger for
mobile phones. The standard connector to be adopted by 17 manufacturers including Nokia, Motorola and Samsung is to be the micro-USB connector (several media reports erroneously reported this as the mini-USB). The new chargers will be much more efficient than existing chargers.
[43] Having a standard charger for all phones means that manufacturers will no longer have to supply a charger with every new phone. The basis of the GSMA's
Universal Charger Solution (UCS) is the technical recommendation from
OMTP and the USB-IF battery charging standard.
[44][45][46]
On April 22, 2009, this was further endorsed by the
CTIA – The Wireless Association.
[47]
On June 29, 2009 the
European Commission announced an agreement with ten producers that starting in 2010, data-enabled mobile phones sold in the
European Union would include a micro-USB connector for recharge.
[48][49]
On October 22, 2009 the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) announced that it had embraced the Universal Charger Solution as its "energy-efficient one-charger-fits-all new mobile phone solution", and added: "Based on the Micro-USB interface, UCS chargers will also include a 4-star or higher efficiency rating—up to three times more energy-efficient than an unrated charger."
[50]