Google has become the latest phone maker to ditch the in-box charger, with the company saying it expects the Pixel 5A to be the last phone to include one. This means that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro won't include a charger when they arrive this fall.
And over the past few years, Google has shipped an 18W USB-C power adapter with every Pixel phone.
The original Pixel phone in 2016 notably included a charger that partially matches the color of the device. But the company quickly switched to a white exterior with USB Power Delivery 2.0 support and a fairly standard-sized plastic body.
Like it or not, the search giant is following Apple and Samsung in getting rid of the included chargers.
As a result the company gets the opportunity to reduce its retail packaging even more, especially since the charger was the thickest item that was included. The company has reduced the size of the box to be as environmentally friendly as possible.
The company says that most people have a USB-C charging unit. So there is no longer a need to include one with her phones.
Apple and Samsung made similar arguments when they announced that they would not offer an in-box charger. This may be true. But it's possible that the cost savings of not including the shipper played a big part in those decisions.
There is also an environmental argument for abandoning the charger. The fewer number of redundant chargers shipped to customers theoretically reduces e-waste.
While Google hasn't addressed this directly, companies have historically justified removing the charger as an environmentally friendly move.
It's hard to prove, and it may mean that greenhouse gas emissions from producing and shipping accessory chargers are spreading to more companies as people buy from third-party manufacturers.
As critics note, this feature is debatable. So if you need to buy a charger, you may create more waste by ordering a charger from another company.
One thing seems for sure, and while these three major phone makers have committed to removing the charger, it's easier for smaller companies to follow suit and do the same.
And your options for the included chargers are narrowing. And you may have to turn to brands like Xiaomi (which offers a free charger with the Mi 11) if you're determined to get a charger at no extra cost.
Although buyers may feel it is about paying the same price and getting less, this is probably a reality we all have to come to terms with.
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