Mobile cable woes could be over soon

Link: PC Pro: News: All mobiles to share same charger standard

The Open Mobile Terminal Platform (OMTP), a forum of leading phone operators and manufacturers including heavyweights Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and LG, has agreed to make micro-USB the connector standard on all its future hardware.

“With UK consumers changing their handset on average twice a year there are hundreds millions of chargers and data cables in circulation,” says a statement from the group.

On the average day I carry around two data cables and two chargers, plus a Nokia power adaptor (you know the one that adapts the bigger Nokia plug to the smaller one). It’s a total pain in the arse – and would be even worse if I had any non-Nokia devices about my person.

How long will it be before we start seeing the same connector for power and data on all our mobiles? Given the average life of a device, I reckon it’s going to be a few years before one charger and one data cable rules them all.