Official images of the soon to be launched Samsung Galaxy S21 have confirmed that the smartphone won’t come with a complimentary AC charger.
It had earlier been hinted on the web that the Seoul based tech giant might ape Apple and also stop including chargers as part of the standard retail package.
But that was a move that was too bitter for Samsung fanboys to accept but it, however, appears that the S21 will be the first flagship smartphone to launch without the rather essential component.
In addition to this, the Galaxy S21 also doesn’t include a headset. You just have the start-up guide, type-c data cable, and the SIM ejector PIN.
Some countries such as France, have strong consumer laws that will require the smartphone to include the missing accessories but you can generally expect the smartphone to launch without the charger and the headset in most countries.
The decision by smartphone vendors to not include a charger is an interesting one. Apple touted its objective of reducing its carbon footprint as the reason behind its move. Even though that makes sense, the devil is always in the details.
A recent teardown showed that Apple realised significant savings in the build of material costs for the iPhone 12. The savings were used to balance off the expensive costs of using 5G radio components in its devices.
This could, therefore, be the same reason why Samsung decided to do the same. It’s either that or the company just decided to ride the wave of what will be the new normal.
The iPhone 12 has so far posted impressive sales, which is an early indication that the lack of the charger pissed off just a section of the loud majority.
It will, therefore, be interesting to see how the move will affect what has traditionally been the best-selling Android smartphone range.
However, the true effect of this move will be evident by whether Samsung and other smartphone vendors will stop including chargers and related accessories as part of the standard retail packages components.
Because if you think about it, whereas its sensible for someone to spend Ksh. 2,500 to buy a charger for a Ksh. 100,000+ smartphone, it’s really painful for someone to spend a similar amount purchasing an authentic charger for a Ksh. 10,000 smartphone.
Kevin is a tech enthusiast and the lead writer at MobiTrends.co.ke. He has been writing about smartphones and tech related topics since October 2012. About Us | Contact Us
