A European Union ruling means manufacturers like Apple and Samsung must standardize ports on chargers for their electronic devices in the next few years. The same USB-C connector will need to be used for all charging cables for phone, laptop and earbud chargers. The change is certain to impact U.S. consumers. Uniformity of connectors will offer advantages but likely also cause confusion for consumers, says Fulton Schools Associate Professor Ted Pavlic. Standardized connectors could result in chargers working better for some devices than for others, and the change is likely to create more electronics waste as people dispose of old charging cables, says Pavlic, whose expertise includes electrical and computer engineering. (Photo: Pixabay)