New Delhi, Oct. 18 -- Unboxing a new flagship smartphone begins with a conspicuous absence now. Since late 2020, when Apple removed the power adapter from its iPhone 12 boxes, a trend has swept across the industry. Major manufacturers like Samsung and Google, after a brief period of mockery, followed suit, leaving consumers with expensive new devices but no way to charge them at their advertised speeds.

This industry-wide shift was justified by a dual narrative of environmental stewardship and consumer convenience. The official reasoning, led by Apple, focused on reducing electronic waste, arguing that most users already have a drawer full of old adapters. Plus, by omitting the charger, companies could shrink packaging, leading to signif...