In a step to save the environment, Apple and some other large groups dealing in mobile handsets have signed a new agreement with the ‘European Commission. This agreement is aimed to standardize the future smartphone chargers. Verheugen, the EU Industry Commissioner said that after this agreement, mobile users of Europe will not have to throw away the charger when they will purchase a new handset.

He said that the unwanted mobile accessories throw electronic waste in thousands of tons in the continent every year. After this new agreement, the new handsets will come with chargers that will have Micro-USB standard for ensuring compatibility.

These chargers will be usable only on data-enabled sets. Apart from Apple, other companies like Sony Ericsson, Nokia, LG, Motorola, NEC, Qualcomm, Samsung, RIM and Texas Instruments have also signed this agreement. Till now, both Apple products, the iPod and iPhone have used 30-pin Dock Connector of Apple for charging; but it is yet not clear that the future Europe-bound iPhones will be compatible with the new connector or it will come with a pack-in converter.