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Many mobile phone manufacturers did the same at some point. Sony used to cell phones with their own propietary sound output and their propietary memory sticks. LG did the same for sound. Then the industry matured with standarized chargers, memory and sound output. But Apple somehow got their own way, sound is just one more thing.

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Mobile phone companies didn't "mature" into using the same micro USB charger. The European Union sat them all down at a table and said "you standardize on something you like, or we make a law to force a standard". They agreed, and renewed the agreement yearly.

Few years down the line and Samsung says "I'm not signing this year, because Apple doesn't play ball and use their own cable", and the EU moved on their threat and started process on a law. Don't know if it's finally passed or not.

(the EU original intent was to limit waste, and was triggered by seemingly every single Nokia phone needing its own specific charger)

Yes, it's true, they needed some help. Although memory and sound was product of maturity, I always thought that Samsung has been a big pusher in this matter.

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