Regulatory filing confirms all Samsung Galaxy S21 models will ship without chargers

All iPhone 12 models, as well as rest of the smartphones in Apple’s current lineup ( iPhone 11, iPhone XR, and iPhone SE) ship without power adapters and earphones. The Cupertino giant claims it has taken this step to lower carbon emissions and electronic waste.

Tecnoblog (via 9to5Mac) reports that the Galaxy S21 (codenamed SM-G991B/DS), Galaxy S21 Plus (SM-G996B/DS), and Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998B/DS) have been certified by the Brazilian telecommunications agency ANATEL. 

The listing has revealed that the new smartphones will come without chargers.

Although Samsung couldn’t help taking shots at Apple for removing chargers from the iPhone box, rumors have been swirling around for months that the South Korean giant plans to do the same. 

In the background, this move would help the chaebol offset some of the costs associated with manufacturing premium smartphones today, such as the addition of 5G components and drivers for enabling a high refresh rate. On the outside, it would probably be marketed as an environment-friendly decision.

One report had even claimed that wired earphones would also not be included, but it’s possible that Samsung will offer wireless earbuds instead.

Although companies copy each other all the time, we must hand it to Samsung for having the audacity to mock Apple for something it was planning to copy all along. But then again, the tech titan is no stranger to backtracking its statements. It had previously made fun of Apple for removing the headphone jack in 2017, only to do the same to its flagship phones in 2019. 

A consumer protection agency in Brazil recently ordered Apple to revise its decision to remove chargers from the iPhone box in São Paulo, and French law already mandates that companies bundle earphones with their handsets.

It remains to be seen if other countries will also discourage this practice. Otherwise, chances are that other companies will also follow suit, and it would probably become a norm to sell phones without accessories that are currently deemed essential.