chargers for smartphones should simply be included

Our editors share a lot in common: a heightened interest in Android and a great need to race their fingers across keyboards. But, that doesn’t mean they always agree. In AW Discussion Thursday we put each other to the test with a statement every week. Last week we kicked off with foldables. Today: chargers. In the box, or not?

Simply supplied

Jelle: I think that chargers should simply be included with smartphones.

Claudia: I am in favor of the universal charger that the EU has been working on for years. It’s really high time we reduced the mountain of electronic waste. USB-C as standard.

Jelle: Agreed, but it should also be found in the box of every smartphone as standard. I think it’s special that you basically buy a product that you can’t use. A charger is essential for a smartphone. If it is not included, you are buying an incomplete product.

Laura: No, certainly not, how many do you want at home, dude?

Claudia: Bye planet.

Jelle: Yes, many people already have a charger, but pass their smartphone on to family members, children, or sell it, etc. after they are ‘done’ with it. They often give the charger along with it. As a result, they no longer have a charger themselves, and they have to buy it with their new smartphone. And that, that is bad for our beautiful planet.

Chargers per household

Claudia: The universal charger can charge multiple devices. Then why put one in the box with every phone.

Laura: Yes, you only need 1 per person right?

Jelle: But we’re not there yet, are we?

Laura: Maybe a few more per household to be able to charge things at the same time, but still..

Claudia: We may be able to reduce the number of 50 chargers per family with 2 children to 10 chargers. That’s already a win for the planet.

Jelle: For now, many people, and many manufacturers, say that it is better for the environment not to include chargers. Producing extra chargers can indeed be harmful to the environment and with smaller boxes, smartphones fit in an airplane, so less CO2 emissions. But if people are forced to buy extra chargers because they don’t have one, this can also lead to extra ‘waste’. As a result, people have to order a charger, which often comes in a separate box. With yes, a booklet, plastic, extra cardboard, etc. In addition, this is also delivered separately. In other words: even more emissions.

Claudia: It is not about extra chargers, but one universal charger that can charge multiple devices.

Laura: Well, even if it concerns extra chargers: you are now comparing something that may be possible against something that is certain. Moreover, you forget something; there is more shelf and storage space without all those loaders, which means that stores can offer more assortment, which in turn means more choice for consumers in another area.

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Plans of the EU

Jelle: Discussion is about the present/now, right? Not about later…Otherwise the discussion ends at the universal charger!

Claudia: The EU came up with two parts in their proposal: one is a common standard for cables and devices, meaning they are interchangeable in the future. That’s good news for consumers, because they can charge their devices with any cable. The second part is ‘unbundling’, so phones are increasingly coming without a charger. The problem remains that a universal charger may not support all types of fast charging.

Jelle: The universal would be great, but if we look at now…

Claudia: Yes, the universal charger doesn’t seem to be here until 2024. So as far as I’m concerned, don’t put a charger in the box until then. Most people already have dozens of USB-C chargers at home.

Laura: Totally agree. If you really need one, you can still buy it when you’re in town. Or maybe even borrow from someone who has ten.

Claudia: We need to move towards a circular economy. So reuse.

Jelle: Many starters do not have a charger, or one that is old and slow. Chargers don’t last forever either. The cable or the brick can break quickly, so many people give away old phone and charger. In addition to being unsafe. Look, we Dutch like to save money and are very careful with our money. Many people may therefore have the tendency, if they have bought a phone without a charger, not to spend (even) more money for it. They run to the luxury ACtion and buy a charger for 5 euros. However, these types of cheap chargers can be bad for your smartphone, for example because they are of lower quality and are less well protected against burnout and wire breakage. In addition, these chargers often do not contain a special chip, which many other chargers do have, a chip that communicates with your smartphone.

Claudia: What are Startups? Most children aged 11 or 12 already walk with a fat iPhone. If a starter buys a new phone every year, he can probably go a few years with one cable.

Money!

Jelle: And that is good for the environment? Plus, speaking of the environment and greenery, money! Not supplying a charger has brought the consumer nothing, smartphones have not become cheaper and in addition: if you buy an S23 Ultra for 1100 euros, there is no charger. #facepalm

Claudia: As far as I’m concerned, Samsung is already doing a good job. Packaging is smaller because it does not contain a charger, less space is needed for transport. Win win. You are spoiled.

Laura: Wouldn’t they be better off forbidding the AC Tion to sell such junk? I still wait with fear and trembling for the day Action comes with a Buddha holding a charger in the palm of his hand.

Claudia: It’s just a matter of getting used to. We used to get a plastic bag with everything, now you take your own bag to the store (and your body is full of microplastics). You used to smoke on birthdays. You used to get a charger with the phone.

Laura: I think it’s also annoying for a consumer to have a whole drawer with spaghetti on wires.

Claudia: The consumer is really spoiled.

Third party chargers

Jelle: But consumers don’t know everything, do they? That third-party chargers cannot work, are poorly protected… And sometimes logical, because we have made it difficult. Lightning, usb-c, micro-usb.. Many people still have usb-a. Universal chargers are a solution, but wait until it arrives. We’re not there yet.

Claudia: In a few years we will not know any better and we will all be using USB-C.

Jelle: In a few years, fine then, not now.

Claudia: And a drawer that also fits other things than 40 different chargers.

Laura: In a box of the Action then, or?

What do you think, should such a charger just be included, or just not? Leave it now in the comments.