Xiaomi has announced that its upcoming Mi 11 phone won’t include a charger. The rationale is familiar. Many people already have old chargers on hand, and this answers demands for a “more environmentally friendly” device with less waste and smaller packaging.
Xiaomi said there would be a conference on December 28th to discuss the decision. It acknowledge the choice would be “unreasonable” for some would-be buyers.
Critics have already blasted the move. While there is an environmental argument to made for shipping fewer chargers, this also helps Xiaomi save money. It can maintain or grow its profit margins, especially for those customers that buy an official charger.
The exclusion won’t matter much in North America and other places where Xiaomi has a limited audience. However, it could easily set the stage for what’s to come. There’s a real chance you’ll have to go out of your way to find a handset with an included power brick in 2021.
