Disappearing Free Chargers... Xiaomi Also Removes Them

Chairman Lei Jun Announces Exclusion Decision via SNS
Promoted "Charger Included" Right After iPhone 12 Launch
Manufacturers Following Apple Citing Environmental Reasons
Samsung Also Decides to Exclude Charger from Galaxy S21 Package

The Xiaomi Mi 11 does not come with a charger.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Xiaomi has also decided to exclude chargers from its smartphone packaging. Following Apple and Samsung, Xiaomi has joined the ranks of companies removing the previously free charging adapters.

On the 27th (local time), Lei Jun, Chairman of Xiaomi, announced via Weibo that chargers will not be provided with the Mi 11 smartphone. He explained, "The Mi 11 package is light and thin, and we have made an important decision," adding, "Many Mi smartphone users already have numerous chargers, so including a charger would be a burden for both users and the environment."

He continued, "We understand that some may not agree with or may be dissatisfied with this decision," and added, "Between industry practices and environmental protection, which is the better solution?"

Previously, shortly after Apple released the iPhone 12, Xiaomi posted a promotional video for the Mi 10T Pro on social media highlighting that their product included a charger. However, they reversed this decision in just over two months.

SNS capture emphasizing that Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro includes a 'charger' (Source: Xiaomi Twitter)

Samsung Electronics will also exclude chargers from the packaging of the 'Galaxy S21' launching next year. It has been revealed that power adapters and wired earphones will not be included in the Galaxy S21 packages in Europe, Brazil, and other regions. Roland Quandt of IT media WinFuture explained, "In packages sold in Germany, only a USB-C type cable is included, while free cases, chargers, and wired earphones are omitted."

In August, the Galaxy Note 20 package released by Samsung in the United States did not include AKG wired earphones. From next year's models, packages excluding chargers and earphones are expected to expand depending on the region.

Apple, starting with the release of the iPhone 12, removed wired EarPods and power adapters from all iPhone packages. Apple introduced that by not providing bundled accessories for free, it can reduce carbon emissions and the mining and use of rare earth elements.

IT media MacRumors explained, "As competitors no longer provide accessories like power adapters or EarPods, Samsung and Xiaomi see this as a sign that consumers are ready to purchase accessories separately."

When manufacturers exclude chargers and earphones from packages, the package size is reduced, which can lower shipping costs. However, from the user's perspective, there are criticisms that this shifts the cost burden onto consumers who must purchase charging adapters separately.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.