Saudi Arabia announces shift to USB Type-C by 2025, a move towards environmental sustainability

Starting January 1 2025, Saudi Arabia has decided to adopt USB Type-C as the exclusive charging port for mobile phones and other electronic gadgets.

The move comes as part of a broader initiative to enhance the user experience, ensure high-quality charging and data transfer technology and bolster environmental sustainability by curtailing electronic waste.

The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organisation, in collaboration with the Communications, Space and Technology Commission, announced the mandatory stages of this significant transition. They emphasised that the directive aims not only to enhance users’ experience but also to avoid imposing additional costs on them.

This equates to a saving of more than SR170 million for Saudi consumers. Additionally, the measure is expected to contribute to the Kingdom’s environmental goals by reducing electronic waste by approximately 15 tons each year.

The enforcement of this mandate will be rolled out in two phases. The first, commencing on January 1, 2025, will encompass devices such as mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, e-readers, portable video game devices, headphones, earphones, amplifiers, keyboards, computer mice, portable navigation systems, portable speakers, and wireless routers. The second phase, set to begin on April 1, 2026, will include laptops.

Starting in 2025, companies and suppliers will be obliged to conform to the USB Type-C standard, adhering to the technical and administrative specifications outlined in the pertinent technical regulations and standards.

USB-C or USB Type-C is the universal standard for wired connection of smart devices. It is an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power on a single cable. It’s the successor to older standards, such as Micro-USB and USB-A, that are still common but fading quickly.

A big selling point of USB-C is its reversible pill-shaped design that lets you insert the plug into your device face up or face down. USB-C port is what makes fast charging and fast data transfer possible.

Source: Gulf News