Back in September, when Apple announced it won’t bundle charging adapters in the box of the Apple Watch, the entire internet knew there was trouble. With the iPhone 12 skipping a charging adapter in the box later, it was only a matter of time before Android OEMs adopted the same idea for their products. Xiaomi initially mocked Apple for the same but now, it seems to be following the latter’s footsteps for its Mi 11 flagship. And then, after facing backlash, it wants to modify its earlier announcement.
In a Weibo post last week, Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun confirmed that the upcoming Mi 11 flagship will skip the charging brick in the box entirely citing environmental protection as the concern. Hence, buyers of the Mi 11 would have to purchase the charging adapter separately, just like one does it for a new iPhone currently. The CEO even shared a photo of the slimmed-down box on social media, asking whether there’s a better way to hit the balance between environmental protection and industry practices.
Xiaomi now modifies its decision after internet backlash
As soon as the announcement went viral, social media exploded with memes and jokes, teasing Xiaomi of copying Apple once again, especially after the company mocked Apple for skipping the charger with the iPhone 12. Yeah, Xiaomi posted a small video on social media that showed it includes the charging adapter in the box hours after the iPhone 12 announcement was made. Samsung did the same too on a global level.
Packaging box of Xiaomi Mi 11
However, both these companies have now decided to follow Apple’s business practice. Samsung has not made it official yet but industry insiders have confirmed the upcoming Galaxy S21 launch would reveal Samsung’s intention of following Apple and ditching the power adapter. Samsung’s removal of the social media post teasing Apple also hints at the same possibility.
Xiaomi, however, is now considering to modify its announcement. In an earlier social media post spotted by tipster Abhishek Yadav on Twitter, Xiaomi will now let you choose whether you need the charger or want to skip it. Initially, a Mi 11 customer would have to spend 1 Yuan to get the charger with the phone. Xiaomi now says that you can either choose to get the charger for free or skip it while making the payment, if you consider the glass-bodied model of the Mi 11.
For those considering the more premium leather-backed Mi 11, Xiaomi will bundle the charger in the box. The decision only stands for the Mi 11 for now and it is still unknown as to whether Xiaomi will implement the same for its existing models across global markets, including India. Hence, all we can do is wait for a day more to get some clarity on the issue. The company’s next launch will be the Mi 10i in India and it remains to be seen whether this one carries the charger or makes it an option for buyers.
As for the Mi 11, Xiaomi is speculated to use a faster charging system when compared to the 30W system on the Mi 10. Moreover, you can also expect Xiaomi to continue to use the 30W wireless charging system, or its faster 40W wireless system. The Mi 11 will be unveiled on December 28.
