2021 is the year you will see most smartphone brands start ditching the in-box charger. Samsung and Xiaomi have already embarked on that path while many others are also expected to follow. OnePlus, which is another trendsetter in the industry, is also expected to save on costs and do its bit for the environment. However, speculations suggest otherwise as OnePlus could be one of the very few brands to keep on offering in-box chargers this year.
Based on a tweet from TechAuntyji, who has a proven track record for leaks related to OnePlus devices, OnePlus could be sticking to in-box chargers. There are no reasons listed behind this decision but it seems that OnePlus is unwilling to take risks this year, especially as the company prepares to launch three new phones in its flagship series. Moreover, OnePlus could be willing to cash-in on Samsung’s decision to skip in-box chargers, thereby giving another reason for people to choose OnePlus phones.
OnePlus could stick to in-box chargers this year
Do note that this is just speculation and hence, we have our doubts. After all, OnePlus is a brand that’s usually among the firsts to adopt a new trend. Remember the notch on the OnePlus 6? Yes, that came months after Apple launched its iPhone X. Hence, OnePlus could be the leading BBK-owned brand to start the trend of dropping the charger.
On the other hand, the delay to skip the charger could be limited to the first-half release of its flagships. Leaks suggest that OnePlus will move to a 65W fast-charging system for the vanilla OnePlus 9 and the cheaper OnePlus 9e. However, the OnePlus 9 Pro could make the move for a 120W system borrowed from Oppo. Hence, bundling an in-box charger with the phone could make sense for the brand.
Maybe, we could see the company ditching the in-box charger later in the year when the “T-series” upgrades come out. By then, OnePlus would have had enough time to judge people’s responses to brands skipping standard accessories and make its decision accordingly.
OnePlus has plans to expand its presence in diverse portfolios this year. Weeks ago, it launched its first wearable device under the name of OnePlus Band. Leaked codes from the OnePlus Health app also revealed the company’s intentions to launch a smartwatch running on Google’s Wear OS platform. This watch could be closely based on the Oppo Watch that launched last year, complete with a square design and curved display.
