O2 and HTC to Sell Phone Without a Charger

UK carrier O2 has announced that an upcoming HTC phone is to be sold without a charger in the United Kingdom. The carrier says that the decision is part of an effort to be more green and highlights the fact that 70 percent of people already have the relevant charger at home when they purchase a new phone. It's not yet clear which phone will be sold without a charger, but O2 wants to eventually remove chargers from the equation completely.

"I have a simple vision for O2: we want to take chargers out of boxes full stop," said Ronan Dunne, CEO of O2. "Right now, O2 with HTC has to go it alone on this matter - we both believe in it passionately enough that we can’t wait for the industry as a whole to join us in this crusade. That said, we hope we will be able to pave the way for others to follow us, as this has to be a collective effort if we are to achieve the bigger aim of eliminating chargers sold with every new phone in the UK." 

The phone will ship with a USB charging cable in the box. It's not yet clear if the customer will be able to buy a charger separately if they don't already have one at home. Such is the case with the 3DS XL, which launched in the UK this past summer. This handheld console was sold sans charger in the UK, as Nintendo believed people purchasing the 3DS XL probably already had a DS charger at home somewhere. If not, the charger could be purchased separately.

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TOPICS
  • greghome
    OR.......OR.........They're just too cheap to pay 1buck more per phone...
    Reply
  • The_Trutherizer
    It is only logical and it illustrates the environmental benefits that can come about through standardization.
    Reply
  • sixdegree
    It's all sugar and rainbow for the consumer and environment, until they start selling charger for $30 a pop.
    Reply
  • "Going green" is corporate speak for "this will save us a ton of money." This is just like the printer companies not including the USB cables...
    Reply
  • What if the phone included a coupon for the appropriate charging cable, that way if you need one you can use the coupon.
    Reply
  • I would genuinely believe they did it for the environment if they offered a free charger for anyone who actually needs. Otherwise, all I see is corporate greed.
    Reply
  • bryonhowley
    phamtomI would genuinely believe they did it for the environment if they offered a free charger for anyone who actually needs. Otherwise, all I see is corporate greed.So instead of plugging the phone into the charger they will have to run there PC just to charge there phone when they could have shut it down and plugged the phone into a usb wall charger good move!
    Reply
  • bustapr
    this is quite stupid. people who buy the phone will likely buy a charger separately, and if they already have one, theyre likely to buy a spare. nothing to do with going "green", just corporate greed talking. the goal to customer inconvenience.
    Reply
  • lamorpa
    bustaprthis is quite stupid. people who buy the phone will likely buy a charger separately, and if they already have one, theyre likely to buy a spare.Why? If they already have a phone they've probably got the spares too. On, wait, general bitterness...
    Reply
  • jojesa
    I think it is a good initiative.
    I have several devices (smartphone, tablet, mice, keyboard, camera, MP3 player & Bluetooth headphones ) that use the same USB charger. Out of the 7 chargers I use only two.
    Just remember to pass the savings to the consumer....JK...they never do that!
    Reply