[The Chosun Ilbo, November 13 2007] Phone Makers Get New Standard for Slimmer Contact

Starting next year, mobile phones will come with a single contact that can be used to both charge the battery and plug in an earphone. The Telecommunications Technology Association said Monday that it has established new standards for external contacts for mobile phones in a general meeting.

According to the new standards, the charge contact will have two rows and 20 pins instead of the current one row and 24 pins, and serve as an earphone contact as well, standardizing earphone contacts which currently vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. A connecting contact will be provided for users to be able to continue to use the old 24-pin chargers. The new standards have been devised because manufacturers have been having a hard time fitting the 24-pin contacts in handsets which are getting slimmer and smaller.