Samsung may not include chargers in the boxes of some of its smartphones starting next year, according to a report from Korean news site ETNews. The company is taking them out because many people already have chargers and to help reduce costs, the report says.
While not including a charger in the box might seem like a big move, Samsung reportedly isn’t the only major phone maker considering it. Apple may do something similar by not including a charger with this year’s iPhone lineup, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Apple may also phase out the 5W and 18W chargers that currently come with iPhones (depending on which model you buy) and instead offer a new 20W fast charger that will be sold separately, said Kuo.
Removing chargers from phone boxes could be a major way for Samsung and Apple to lower the costs of selling their phones and make their phone packaging smaller, but it could also have a significant impact on the environment. Taking them out of some of the top-selling smartphones could help reduce the number of chargers that go unused and are thrown away because people already have a bunch more scattered around their house.