Xiaomi Previously Mocked Apple for Omitting Charger in Packaging, Now Embraces Same Strategy as Genius Move
Diving into the world of tech trends, it's clear that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. After Apple announced its decision to leave wall chargers out of iPhone packaging earlier this year, many laughed. But now, the one-time mockers are turning into followers. Xiaomi, for instance, has joined the bandwagon, following suit with its upcoming Mi 11 phone.
As reported by The Verge, Lei Jun, Xiaomi's CEO, announced via Weibo that the Mi 11 would not come with a charger. The environmental concerns echoed by Apple earlier this year are the driving factor behind this decision. Lei pointed out that everyone has unused chargers piling up, reinforcing the notion that this move could help minimize waste.
Given that this announcement follows Xiaomi's earlier playful dig at Apple, you can imagine the smirks over at AppleHQ. Originally, Xiaomi shared a post on Twitter poking fun at Apple for its decision to ditch the charger, highlighting its own charger in the Mi 10T Pro box.
Samsung wasn't far behind, jumping on the opportunity to taunt Apple as well. The tech giant took to social media, sharing a photo of its Galaxy charger with the caption, "Included with your Galaxy." However, it seems Samsung's playful remarks may have been misplaced, as reports suggest they will also drop chargers from the box with their Galaxy S21 series, scheduled for a January launch.
When Apple divulged its environmental reasons for the move in October, it argued that users already owned over 700 million Lightning headphones and many opted for wireless alternatives. Plus, there were 2 billion Apple power adapters in circulation. Apple believed this decision would reduce environmental waste.
However, the move sparked controversy as Apple replaced the standard USB-A wall charger with a USB-C to Lightning cable. Given that almost every prior iPhone came with a USB-A wall charger, criticisms of the "everyone already has a charger" argument emerged.
Minimizing environmental waste is commendable, but the focus should be on reducing actual waste, rather than just selling chargers separately. Ultimately, empty promises aren't doing the planet any favors. If this decision encourages others to follow suit, it could be a net positive for the environment. But until then, phasing out unnecessary packaging warrants a cautious, critical approach.
The decision by Xiaomi to omit chargers from the Mi 11's packaging, as announced by Lei Jun on Weibo, mimics Apple's environmental initiative. This move aims to minimize waste, echoing Apple's argument that many users already own compatible charging solutions.
In light of this tech trend, it's not surprising that Samsung is also reportedly planning to eliminate chargers from its Galaxy S21 series, further emphasizing the role of technology in shaping the future of sustainability.
