I think you (Mr. Schnell) are missing the point. Establishing a standard connector/charger for mobile devices will result in multiple benefits…
1. Consumers can use one charger/cable to power/connect all their mobile devices
2. Manufacturers are no longer required to ship a charger/cable with new devices (though they will probably continue to do so for a short time), and consumers no longer end up with multiple redundant chargers/cables. However, even if the consumer has redundant chargers/cables, at least they’re interchangeable and thus less likely to be discarded.
3. Manufacturers of related peripherals/accessories will be encouraged to adopt the MicroUSB standard for connectivity/charging purposes
Personally, I think it’s an awesome idea. when I travel, I can carry a single charger with a USB socket, a mini-USB cable, and a micro-USB cable, and those will allow me to charge/connect all my mobile devices… my phones, my MP3 player, my eReader, my Bluetooth headset, and my wireless headphones.
Why would Apple create an adapter rather than change their connector? because of all the vendors that have created products that feature a built-in, non-interchangeable Apple connectors. Yes, the iPod alarm-clock docks, the iPod boom-boxes, the iPod BMW audio system connectors, your local gym’s treadmills and elliptical machines with iPod docks… the list is ENDLESS. Apple’s custom connector has been adopted by virtually every manufacturer that makes a product large enough to hold an iPod/iPhone.
Yes, this new law now requires Apple to create an adapter, but that won’t add to the problem, because – let’s face it – iPod/iPhone consumers are incredibly brand loyal, so they’ll never NOT have an iPod/iPhone, and thus the adapters will never be discarded.
Now, if someone decides to upgrade (or downgrade) from an HTC phone to an iPhone, they won’t need to throw away their old charger, they can just buy the Apple adapter, and there’s one less item in the trash!