Why your new phone does not have a charger and earphones
Top mobile phone manufacturers are increasingly adopting the trend of shipping phones without accessories such as chargers and earphones in a move they say is aimed at taming the runaway pollution of electronic waste.
The trend was kick started by Apple in 2020 when it shipped its first consignment of iPhones without a bundled charger sparking outrage among consumers who protested the phone maker’s reluctance to cut the prices.
The US tech giant said then that the decision to ditch phone chargers and earpieces from the phone pack would aid in the reduction of plastic waste.
Two years on, other phone brands are increasingly taking cue with Samsung releasing its latest S22 series without the in-box proprietary chargers and earphones.
Charles Kimari, the director of Internet and Mobile experience at Samsung said the shift is in line with the company’s plan to deal with e-waste management.
Oppo is also said to be on its way to the adoption of the trend.
Making a case for their environmental conservation mission, the manufacturers argue that since the average life of many smartphones ranges from two and a half to three years, many people are stuck with a piling stock of chargers that they do not need.
They argue it would not make conservation sense to continue letting out more yet consumers can use the accessories they have already piled in their houses.
The populace in many consumer economies including in Kenya has however expressed their dissatisfaction with the shift, the main concern being the cost stagnation.
