As per the announcement made by Saudi authorities, the first mandatory phase of universal charging ports for electronic gadgets and mobile phones in the Saudi market will begin on January 1, 2025, and would require the usage of "USB Type-C."
By introducing this decision, the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organisation (SASO) hope to improve the quality of tech products, lower additional costs for consumers, and improve the user experience in Saudi Arabia. It also helps achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by lowering electronic waste and encouraging environmental sustainability.
Unified charging ports are anticipated to reduce local mobile phone and electronic device charging port usage by more than 2.2 million units annually, as per CST and SASO.
Additionally, it is anticipated to save Saudi Arabian customers about SR170 million a year, contributing to the Kingdom's environmental objectives by cutting down on electronic waste by almost 15 tonnes yearly.
In the first phase, devices such as smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, e-readers, portable video game consoles, headphones, earphones, amplified speakers, portable speakers, computer mouse, keyboards, wireless routers, and portable navigation systems would all be covered. On April 1, 2026, the second phase—which will involve laptops—will start.
The phases of the unified charging ports for mobile phones and electronic devices in the Saudi market were announced by CST and SASO on August 6, 2023. In compliance with the applicable technical regulations and standard specifications, companies and suppliers must adopt "USB Type-C" as the standard charging port type.
