Following in the wake of similar iPhone 12 rumours, Samsung is reportedly considering providing phones with no chargers. Some users will not be happy, but others who have multiple spare chargers around their home and potentially some that were never used will be happy.
The move is said to be based around two primary factors:
- Many users have multiple chargers from several generations of phones available
- Cost reduction for the not just Samsung, but supply cost to users as well
This also plays straight into the hands of manufacturers like Samsung who have adhered to standards in device charging. USB-C isn’t a nice to have anymore, it’s a necessity and it’s everywhere. Coupled with the fact that many phones are also compatible with wireless charging, there are already a lot of options for users. So while it may seem to be a huge omission from the user packaging, it’s actually not going to be a huge issue for most users.
What the decision does not address is improving charging speeds and efficiency with technology enhancements in the charging hardware such as the AC adapter etc they OPPO and OnePlus do. It seems that Samsung are giving up on improving their speeds significantly like many other manufacturers are doing.
What do you think? Could you forgo a charger in the box of your next flagship purchase?
Best way to minimise eWaste is to provide updates for more than 2 cycles on all phones including mid range and low end phones.
Also an ability to replace batteries.
Thinly veiled cost cutting and profit maximization.
I would want to make sure that the retailer advised me so i can get a charger if i need one
The phone better be cheaper to reflect the lack of charger accessories. TBH they are just pulling an apple.
This is a disaster waiting to happen. You’d think they learnt their lesson on the battery issue. An absent charger potentially means an inferior choice that could be a hazard. Besides that every phone I had you ended up with different kinds of chargers. From Usb-b to Usb-c, slow charger, fast charger, wireless charger. I disagree with the assumption that former chargers will make do.
This is a good idea. I recently went through our ‘technology box’ and was surprised at how many USB C charging cables we had accumulated even though my wife and I only upgrade every 3 years or so. If you need one, you can acquire one when you buy the phone with the money you saved.
They are incredibly common. Not like when Nintendo dropped the propriety charger from their 3DS console. That was ridiculous.
Include the ability to request one be sent out at no cost if needed and it’s all good. I, and many others, have too many fast chargers laying around serving no purpose.
Samsung is going to rule the market after chinese boycott.
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I think it’s an utter money grab and bullshit disguised as E waste . I might add the obvious inference is that the new proud owner of the smartphone that they probably just paid a lot of money for is going to use last year’s, or the year before or even the year before that’s charger from an old device . If your new phone catches fire because you used an old charger , you have to ask yourself , Is Samsung or Apple going to warrant your very crispy expensive burned out smartphone ? or your house and family… Read more »
From the point of view of minimising e-waste, I totally support this change. I’d like to see chargers and charging cables omitted from every single device that uses USB-C, or micro USB, or lightning connectors, provided a suitable adjustment in price is made. We can buy appropriate chargers if needed, or keep using the ones we have if not. Nothing to stop companies offering an optional bundle with a charger if they are pushing the limits of charging capability.