14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung Galaxy S21 is official now, and one of the biggest changes concerns the accessories available in the box. Like the iPhone 12, the Galaxy S21 comes without a charger and earphones in the box, and in a statement today, the South Korean explains its decision.
As you could easily figure out, the reasons that led to Samsung giving up on these accessories are similar to those Apple provided when it announced the iPhone 12.
Samsung says that first and foremost, such a decision helps protect the environment because it reduces the electronic waste that its products can cause. Then, it’s a decision that makes sense because most Samsung buyers already have a charger around, and even if they don’t, they can always purchase one separately from the Samsung store.
USB-C for the win
And last but not least, the company tells SamMobile in a statement that it introduced USB-C back in 2017, so after four years of using the same connector on its devices, such a decision just makes sense.
“We discovered that more and more Galaxy users are reusing accessories they already have and making sustainable choices in their daily lives to promote better recycling habits. To support our Galaxy community in this journey, we are transitioning to removal of the charger plug and earphones in our latest line of Galaxy smartphones,” the company says.
“We believe that the gradual removal of charger plugs and earphones from our in-box device packaging can help address sustainable consumption issues and remove any pressure that consumers may feel towards continually receiving unnecessary charger accessories with new phones. We’ve also been implementing standardized USB-C type charging ports since 2017, so older chargers can still be compatible with our newest Galaxy models.”
The Galaxy S21 is already available for pre-order today, with shipping to kick off on January 29.