Google's new Phone, the Pixel 6 lineup will not include a charger in the box. Welp!

[Nowak]

Just now, poochyena said:

ok and? Whats your point? You can buy a new cable for 5 to 10 dollars if you really need another one. Many people don't, especially those buying higher end phones. The point is to reduce waste. I have 4 or 5 usb c cables. If a device I buy comes with an extra cable and wall outlet, it would just be e-waste.

There's still the actual phones. Those are gonna continue contributing to eWaste, especially since every OEM hates the idea of you fixing your phone yourself and would prefer it if you just bought a new phone every year because that makes them more money. And they have non-recyclable elements, like those batteries.

 

There's no way around it. They're gonna contribute to eWaste regardless.

[poochyena]

Just now, Nowak said:

There's still the actual phones. Those are gonna continue contributing to eWaste, especially since every OEM hates the idea of you fixing your phone yourself and would prefer it if you just bought a new phone every year because that makes them more money. And they have non-recyclable elements, like those batteries.

 

There's no way around it. They're gonna contribute to eWaste regardless.

ok and? This is about cables and reducing the number of cables and wall outlets as a way to reduce e-waste

[Sauron]

3 hours ago, Senzelian said:

At this point it would've been stupid for them to include a charger. It's such an easy cash grab - now that Apple and Samsung have done it - that any manufacturer that still  includes a charger, needs to rethink what the hell they're doing.

It costs them almost nothing to include it, honestly I can only consider this to be contempt for the customer.

 

A few years ago it was common to include a bunch of accessories with phones, like headphones and covers - sure, they weren't necessarily great but at least they gave you all you needed to start using your new device. I think that changed in part because these companies want you to think of their devices as disposable; if you replace them every one or two years then it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to get a new charger or headphones in the box every time. It may not be too long until they start leasing their devices rather than selling them.

[Nowak]

18 minutes ago, poochyena said:

ok and? This is about cables and reducing the number of cables and wall outlets as a way to reduce e-waste

It's just empty posturing. They can talk about how much they love the environment all they want but they're still major contributors to ewaste by way of the phones themselves.

[KaitouX]

I will just wait for people with those phones without charger included to start having charging issues and when the person goes to complain to the manufacturer, they go and say "You weren't using the correct charger, the older one doesn't work properly and ones from other manufacturers will void your warranty", or for them to just say that they need to buy the charger when they buy the phone, basically making them buy a new one every time.

[poochyena]

9 minutes ago, Nowak said:

It's just empty posturing.

If you have some agenda to push, go to it elsewhere. This in an actual impactful change, to call it empty is pure nonsense.

[KaitouX]

17 minutes ago, poochyena said:

If you have some agenda to push, go to it elsewhere. This in an actual impactful change, to call it empty is pure nonsense.

When they keep changing the used standards every time and keep bragging about fast charging speeds that likely aren't going to be achievable with older chargers, it's hard to think that these companies are actually trying to reduce e-waste and not just increasing their profit.

This will end up going in the direction of buying a new charger every time, sellers are going to always try to push people to buy the new charger by saying they need it to get faster speeds, say that the old one is dangerous or will void their warranty or some other BS to sell more. I really doubt this will make any significant difference in the amount of chargers made.

[poochyena]

8 minutes ago, KaitouX said:

When they keep changing the used standards every time and keep bragging about fast charging speeds that likely aren't going to be achievable with older chargers, it's hard to think that these companies are actually trying to reduce e-waste and not just increasing their profit.

This will end up going in the direction of buying a new charger every time, sellers are going to always try to push people to buy the new charger by saying they need it to get faster speeds, say that the old one is dangerous or will void their warranty or some other BS to sell more. I really doubt this will make any significant difference in the amount of chargers made.

rofl
I love how the last poster tried the "everyone buys cheap phones" angle, so now you're trying to go for the "everyone buys expensive phones" angle. Why does it upset you that these companies profit off doing environmentally good things? If someone needs a new charger, good for them. The entire point is not everyone does need a new one though. Giving people electrics they don't need lead to e-waste, and if that has the side effect of giving phone companies more profits, then good for them.

[porina]

I'm out of the loop nowadays but in my past work I was around when the mobile industry (excluding Apple, of course) tried to standardise on micro-USB. That moved to USB-C.

 

Not including the charger is going to be a net saving in e-waste. People may own multiple devices, but don't necessarily need one charger for each one. This is not limited to phones, but think of the likes of Bluetooth devices also.

 

Fast charging isn't much of a problem for the majority. Basic levels of fast charge will satisfy the majority of the market. If you really have to have the latest standard, you can still get it, but it is relatively niche.

[GorujoCY]

11 minutes ago, porina said:

I'm out of the loop nowadays but in my past work I was around when the mobile industry (excluding Apple, of course) tried to standardise on micro-USB. That moved to USB-C.

 

Not including the charger is going to be a net saving in e-waste. People may own multiple devices, but don't necessarily need one charger for each one. This is not limited to phones, but think of the likes of Bluetooth devices also.

 

Fast charging isn't much of a problem for the majority. Basic levels of fast charge will satisfy the majority of the market. If you really have to have the latest standard, you can still get it, but it is relatively niche.

it depends, yes removing the charger might help with e waste and stuff but i mean there are users, like the majority that dont have the right charger, likely not the right connector, nor the advertised fast charging speed their phone gives (which could be 45-60w I think for pixel 6) so companies giving choice to ship it included either separately or in box if it feels necessary rather than separate package to buy would be much much better. I personally feel more ok using first party chargers than third parties but either way, no harm but thats my personal preference to this subject.

[KaitouX]

Just now, poochyena said:

rofl
I love how the last poster tried the "everyone buys cheap phones" angle, so now you're trying to go for the "everyone buys expensive phones" angle. Why does it upset you that these companies profit off doing environmentally good things? If someone needs a new charger, good for them. The entire point is not everyone does need a new one though. Giving people electrics they don't need lead to e-waste, and if that has the side effect of giving phone companies more profits, then good for them.

Where did I say or imply that everyone buys expensive phones? And I already said I think there isn't going to be any significant drop in the amount of chargers made, at least when considering all future changes that are going to happen at some point, forcing everyone to buy new chargers, in their own packaging using more space in shipping. Having to buy a new charger with the phone only increases the costs for me and I don't think it's going to make any significant difference in the environmental impact made, so I don't see why I would support it. I don't buy phones often enough to have the compatible charger for the next one and I think it's useful to have the proper charger that doesn't have completely different specs from the one supposed to be used.

 

Plus these are the same manufacturers that would sell phones with the slowest charger they had and only sell the faster one separately, over just shipping the faster one from the start. And the same that removed features that often extend the useful life of a phone like microSD slot, removable battery and pushed BT headphones by removing the headphone jack. If they actually cared they would find some way to have removable battery, expandable storage, easily repairable parts, actually standardized chargers, stop promoting wireless charging BS and so on. If they didn't have such history I could possibly buy that they would remove chargers to try reduce e-waste(even if I don't think it's effective), but they have the history of removing things and pushing others that are worse for the environment later.

[Nowak]

50 minutes ago, poochyena said:

rofl
I love how the last poster tried the "everyone buys cheap phones" angle, so now you're trying to go for the "everyone buys expensive phones" angle. Why does it upset you that these companies profit off doing environmentally good things? If someone needs a new charger, good for them. The entire point is not everyone does need a new one though. Giving people electrics they don't need lead to e-waste, and if that has the side effect of giving phone companies more profits, then good for them.

If you go to this magical place called "the outdoors" then tell me how many people you see with expensive phones compared to cheap phones. Yesterday I was at the Denver Zoo and aside from the typical iPhone, the only Android phones I saw were all cheapo devices that don't cost more than $200. Aside from the sole Galaxy S21 I saw I'm 100% sure I had the most expensive Android phone in the entire zoo, and mine cost me $350 lmao

 

People who have a lot of money to dump on phones and a smorgasbord of accessories are a minority.

 

Also, do you remember the New 3DS and how Nintendo didn't include the proprietary charger with it because "everyone already owns a 3DS" (If "everyone" means ~50 million people out of... 7 billion people) and people correctly pointed out that this was a problem because people were gonna buy a New 3DS as their first 3DS and then would have to drop another $30 on a charger on top of what they already spent on the 3DS? lmfao

[poochyena]

2 hours ago, KaitouX said:

Where did I say or imply that everyone buys expensive phones?

when you talked about new fast charging features. Thats an expensive phone thing. Cheap phones aren't going to have 65 watt chargers or whatever.

2 hours ago, KaitouX said:

considering all future changes that are going to happen at some point, forcing everyone to buy new chargers

considering WHAT future changes? Even a lower end 18 watt fast chargers can charge a phone from 0 to ~80% in about an hour. I can't imagine many people buying a new fast charger to replace their old one just for a slightly faster charge speed. Its rare fast charge speed even matters, especially at home or office. Maybe during travel where you have limited time spent at one location. I'm not sure how you are coming up with this idea that people will be replacing all their old fast chargers with new fast chargers every time they upgrade their phone.

 

2 hours ago, KaitouX said:

I don't think it's going to make any significant difference in the environmental impact made

It doesn't need to. Any impact, significant or minor, is good.

2 hours ago, KaitouX said:

I don't buy phones often enough to have the compatible charger for the next one

but many people DO, which is the point. And as time goes on, more and more people will have the needed cables and wall outlets.

2 hours ago, KaitouX said:

Plus these are the same manufacturers that would sell phones with the slowest charger they had and only sell the faster one separately, over just shipping the faster one from the start. And the same that removed features that often extend the useful life of a phone like microSD slot, removable battery and pushed BT headphones by removing the headphone jack. If they actually cared they would find some way to have removable battery, expandable storage, easily repairable parts, actually standardized chargers, stop promoting wireless charging BS and so on. If they didn't have such history I could possibly buy that they would remove chargers to try reduce e-waste(even if I don't think it's effective), but they have the history of removing things and pushing others that are worse for the environment later.

You'd rather harm the environment out of spite than to see a company do something good? You'd actually rather see the environment hurt than to see a company make more profit? You really don't see anything wrong with that? Why does it bother you so much that a company might see extra profit, that you'd rather sacrifice the planet's health? You're turning this into a culture war and thats toxic.

3 hours ago, Nowak said:

If you go to this magical place called "the outdoors" then tell me how many people you see with expensive phones compared to cheap phones.

well, you apparently consider >$100 to be expensive.. so.. nearly everyone. At least in wealthy countries.

3 hours ago, Nowak said:

the only Android phones I saw were all cheapo devices that don't cost more than $200.

how can you tell just from looking at a distance, especially with most people having a case?

[Nowak]

8 minutes ago, poochyena said:

how can you tell just from looking at a distance, especially with most people having a case?

Camera bumps/clusters. Literally the only way how phones can differentiate themselves now.

[Zodiark1593]

5 hours ago, porina said:

I'm out of the loop nowadays but in my past work I was around when the mobile industry (excluding Apple, of course) tried to standardise on micro-USB. That moved to USB-C.

 

Not including the charger is going to be a net saving in e-waste. People may own multiple devices, but don't necessarily need one charger for each one. This is not limited to phones, but think of the likes of Bluetooth devices also.

 

Fast charging isn't much of a problem for the majority. Basic levels of fast charge will satisfy the majority of the market. If you really have to have the latest standard, you can still get it, but it is relatively niche.

Were this still 2016, where we had several different Qualcomm Quick Charge standards, and Dash Charging, I’d probably be more inclined to agree that including the compatible fast charger is a good thing. Or rather, multiple competing standards isn’t a good thing unless there were some decisive advantage. 
 

Now that we’re mostly standardized on PD for fast charging, and having been a thing for a few years already, the argument for omitting the charger becomes much stronger. 

[poochyena]

1 hour ago, Nowak said:

Camera bumps/clusters. Literally the only way how phones can differentiate themselves now.

well yea, brand new phones, but your point was focused around phones with usb c. My phone, when it was brand new, was $600, has usb C, but only has 2 back cameras. if you saw my phone, you'd think it was a cheap phone, and thus think it wouldn't have usb c.

[Nowak]

1 minute ago, poochyena said:

well yea, brand new phones, but your point was focused around phones with usb c. My phone, when it was brand new, was $600, has usb C, but only has 2 back cameras. if you saw my phone, you'd think it was a cheap phone, and thus think it wouldn't have usb c.

You tell me that like I don't know what phone you're holding by just looking at the camera bump/cluster.

 

Yes, I have too much free time, I know this.

[orbitalbuzzsaw]

45 minutes ago, comander said:

Personally speaking, I'm still kind of in the process of USB-Cing all of the things. I even just ordered a 100W USB-C wall plug. 

 

I think in the long run many power outlets will have a USB-C port built in and I'm fine with NOT having adapters bundled with my devices in the long run... just maybe not quite this soon. I want like another 5 chargers. 

Heyy high capacity USB-C charger for all the things gang. Yeah, I think that once we standardise around USB C there'll really be no need of chargers in the box

[Mihle]

I have two chargers, both I think is Qualcomm quick charge 2 or something. From my previous and current phone. As long as those work on the phones I get, I do not feel I need another charger anytime soon. I only really use one of them.

 

But if companies really cared for the environment, they would have two versions, one with and one without the charger, where the price difference wasn't too large (less than buying separate), so people could choose what one to take.

[RejZoR]

I never understood the "e-waste" argument on chargers. I always sold them with phones or gave them away with phone. I'm one of those who save the box and everything coz it's easier to sell if it's whole thing and not just phone without anything that also came with it. And from phones that died or were so old and worn, I have the chargers for backup or in different places. Meaning, if they are still in use, even if only few times a year they aren't e-waste. And they'll still charge things like powerbanks and smart bands and watches coz even if slow they charge them fine because of small batteries they have or power banks that are big, but who cares if it charges 8 hours over night...

[captain_to_fire]

Anker and Aukey if you want a durable type C cable and charger

[Doobeedoo]

By now can't say it's a surprise.

[Blademaster91]

Not surprising, but still unfortunate that companies are including less with the phone yet still charging more.

[RejZoR]

48 minutes ago, Blademaster91 said:

Not surprising, but still unfortunate that companies are including less with the phone yet still charging more.

Yeah, but they put the difference they saved with charger into chipset and/or camera! Totally!

[Blademaster91]

1 hour ago, RejZoR said:

Yeah, but they put the difference they saved with charger into chipset and/or camera! Totally!

If only some phone oem really did, like instead of competing who can make the largest camera bump, put some of the cost difference back into a faster chipset or more battery.