POWER
Why most devices will shift to USB Type-C after 2028
By Wu Qi Kun, charge & isolation product line manager, Diodes Incorporated.
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n 2025, the European Union adopted Regulation (EU) 2025/2052, which establishes eco-design requirements for external power supplies (EPS), wireless chargers, wireless charging pads, battery chargers for portable batteries, and USB Type-C cables. The regulation is part of the EU’s broader eco-design framework and aims to provide energy effi ciency, interoperability and sustainability across the charging ecosystem. Although the regulation entered force in December 2025, more of its requirements will become mandatory on December 14, 2028.
Key interoperability requirement A key clause of the regulation is the introduction of interoperability requirements for EPS. In practice, a compliant EPS must include at least one USB Type-C port, and for most power levels, must support USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) to ensure standardised and safe power negotiation across devices.
The regulation does not explicitly mandate USB Type-C on the device side. However, when considered alongside Directive (EU) 2022/2380, which mandates USB Type-C on devices such as smartphones and tablets, the standardisation of EPS creates a unifi ed power interface, driving broader industry adoption beyond the directly related categories.
Why a USB Type-C EPS mandate drives device-side change
Once USB Type-C becomes the default and, in many cases, the primary EPS interface available to consumers, devices that continue to rely on traditional DC barrel connectors will face increasing compatibility challenges. USB Type-C-to-DC conversion solutions are available, but they are not fully standardised and typically rely on integrated USB-PD trigger circuitry to request a fi xed voltage from the power source. The behavior of these solutions depends on pre- defi ned voltage profi les and correct negotiation, which can limit fl exibility across
14 JUNE 2026 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS
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Diodes Incorporated has a comprehensive range of USB-PD controllers designed to support different performance, feature and cost targets.
different chargers. In the absence of USB-PD negotiation, USB Type-C power sources default to 5V, which is insuffi cient for many devices that are designed for higher input voltages, such as 9V, 12V, 15V, or 20V. As a result, mismatches between expected and delivered voltage can occur, leading to unpredictable behaviour.
After 2028, as USB Type-C becomes the standardised output interface for most EPS, consumers will increasingly rely on USB Type-C chargers as their primary power source. If a device still requires a barrel jack, users may struggle to fi nd compatible cables, experience unstable operation, or
return products altogether. The result is higher return rates, customer dissatisfaction and reputational brand damage. Even without a formal device-side mandate, market forces will effectively push manufacturers toward USB Type-C with integrated USB-PD support on device inputs.
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Device categories most impacted by the regulation
The indirect effects of the regulation will be most visible in product categories that currently rely on DC barrel connectors and external adapters. These include networking equipment, set-top boxes, monitors, smart home devices and various industrial and commercial embedded systems.
Although these products are not required by the regulation to adopt USB Type-C inputs, they operate within the broader EPS ecosystem that is being standardised. As a result, manufacturers in these segments are likely to fi nd increasing pressure to align with USB Type-C-based power delivery.
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