Mikkel Christensen
Today, most major brands ship phones without charging bricks, leaving buyers to use existing adapters or purchase new ones separately.
Not long ago, buying a new smartphone meant opening the box to find everything you needed inside. Chargers, earbuds and cables were standard accessories.
Today, most major brands ship phones without charging bricks, leaving buyers to use existing adapters or purchase new ones separately.
Technology site BGR reported that manufacturers say the shift is largely driven by environmental goals and changing charging technology.
Smaller boxes
Phone makers argue that removing charging bricks reduces packaging waste and shipping emissions.
According to BGR, research from smart device retailer Uniqbe Limited suggests that smartphone boxes can use up to 50% less packaging material without chargers.
Slimmer packaging also allows companies to ship more devices at once, with some shipments able to carry about 70% more phones per pallet.
Manufacturers say this reduces transport emissions and saves space in landfills once packaging is discarded.
Lower costs
The change also reduces production and logistics costs.
By removing the charging brick, companies spend less on components and packaging materials for each device.
While brands often present the decision as an environmental initiative, BGR noted that eliminating chargers also lowers manufacturing expenses.
Rise of USB-C
Charging technology has also evolved, making bundled chargers less necessary.
Most modern smartphones now include USB-C cables, which have become a universal standard across many electronics.
Many of these cables support Power Delivery technology, allowing a single compatible charger to safely power multiple devices such as phones, tablets and gaming consoles.
Critics push back
Not everyone is convinced the environmental argument holds up.
Critics point out that many consumers still end up buying a new charger separately.
Tech YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss has argued that this could actually increase packaging waste because chargers now ship in their own boxes rather than being included with the phone.
BGR noted that if buyers also purchase accessories such as earbuds separately, the environmental savings claimed by manufacturers may be reduced.
Sources: BGR
