What you need to know
- Documents suggest that some regions may not have the charging adapter bundled with Samsung's Galaxy smartphones next year.
- Samsung has reportedly been mulling this decision since the summer.
- The move comes after Samsung teased Apple about not including the adapter with its iPhones this year.
There's been a treasure trove of leaks on Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S21 lineup, including live images, concept renders, and more recently a leaked video promo. So far, most leaks have focused largely on the sexy design and curious new camera stove, while noting that these phones might be more important for Samsung's lineup than previously thought. But a new leak seems to confirm what we all feared might come to pass.
On what seems to be just another Tuesday, Samsung is reportedly going to follow in Apple's footsteps and stop bundling the. Documents obtained from Brazil's National Telecommunications Agency suggest that in certain regions, Samsung won't include the charger. That's right, after teasing Apple for ditching something that we've all been so accustomed to getting for free, Samsung is now apparently rethinking things and axing the included charger. If that sounds familiar, Samsung did the same thing when it teased Apple for getting rid of the headphone jack, only to quickly follow suit and do the same thing.
Amid some consumer backlash, Apple made the decision this year as a way to combat the environmental impact of improperly discarded charging adapters. Cupertino still has adapters available to purchase though, should you really need one. The thinking is that after more than 10 years of providing consumers with adapters, there should be enough out in the wild or in your couch cushions to make up for the lack of a new one.
Samsung has been mulling the idea at least since July. As the largest Android manufacturer in the world, it hasn't really changed its charging tech much in the past several years. This year's flagship Galaxy smartphones, for example, don't push past 45W charging speeds (25W for the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra) whereas other manufacturers like OnePlus feature speeds as high as 65W and beyond. Therefore, it makes some sense for Samsung not to include a charging adapter with its new flagships, assuming it's going to remain conservative with its charging speeds.
It's unclear which regions will or won't get the adapters, as some countries legally require it, but the U.S. is likely going to feel the absence. And if you really need to get your hands on some of the fastest chargers for your smartphone, Samsung's reportedly cheaper S21 models may help bear the cost a little easier.
