You risk having an unpleasant surprise the next time you buy a smartphone: after the pedestrian kit, which has disappeared since 2022, an accessory that is nevertheless essential will no longer be provided in the box.
You too have probably noticed: it is becoming increasingly rare to find a charger in the box of a new smartphone. Very often the package contains only the phone and a cable. Sometimes the charger location is there, but empty. Frustrating. Apple started the ball rolling on this disappearance a few years ago, followed by Samsung and, little by little, by most other smartphone manufacturers. Some brands like Motorola, Xiaomi or Realme continue to provide a charger on certain models, but this will not last very long.
Several reasons explain this disappearance of chargers in the box of new smartphones. The first is obviously economic. One less accessory to provide means a few euros saved per unit for the manufacturer. And when we know that certain models sell several million copies, the calculation is quickly done!
Obviously, it is not this economy that is highlighted but ecology. Based on the principle that everyone now has a charger, it is no longer necessary to deliver a new one with the device in order to reduce its ecological cost (manufacturing, transport, etc.) and reduce the volume of electronic waste.
Another factor adds to this trend and these reasons. It is linked to the mandatory adoption of the universal charger (USB-C) and the information that must appear on the packaging of electronic devices (read our article). Indeed in decree n°2023-1271 of December 27, 2023 and its implementing decree (which transposes European regulations into French law), it is specified in article R. 20-11-1.-I that from December 28, 2024 “When an economic operator (a manufacturer – Editor’s note) offers consumers and other end users the possibility of purchasing radio equipment mentioned in article R. 20-3-1 accompanied by a charging device, it offers them the possibility of purchasing this radio equipment without a charging device charge “.
A boon therefore for manufacturers who can hide behind the decree to no longer provide a charger with their devices while keeping a clear conscience (provided that this absence is clearly indicated on the box). Apart from the models already on sale and accompanied by a charger, from the end of 2024, there is a good chance that manufacturers will definitely skip this accessory.
This is what Xiaomi suggested to us. It would indeed be necessary to offer two different boxes (one with charger, the other without) and thus multiply the references. Or, like some manufacturers, “gift” the charger separately, as a gift. But rest assured, the small label on the box will tell you which charger to use or buy. And if the device offers a proprietary fast charging device, you will have to spend a few dozen extra euros to get it!
For the moment, the main products concerned are smartphones and tablets; It has been a long time since headphones, headsets and other e-readers which also appear in the decree have been delivered without a charger. But laptops will also have to follow this path from April 26, 2026.