Samsung Galaxy S21 will have the iPhone 12's biggest missing feature

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Samsung just fired back at Apple's controversial iPhone 12 decision

Samsung Galaxy S21 will have the iPhone 12's biggest missing feature
(Image credit: Future)

Samsung looks to be giving the Galaxy S21 one thing the newly revealed iPhone 12 doesn't have: a charger in the box.

A mocking image was posted on Samsung's Caribbean Facebook page, with a caption saying one of its phones "does give you what you are looking for. From the most basic as a charger."

This doesn't necessarily guarantee that the Galaxy S21 and other 2021 Samsung phones will all get charging blocks. But it would be a bad look for Samsung if it decided to take the chargers away. And it's not unprecedented, given that Apple started a trend for ditching headphone jacks after it launched the iPhone 7. Samsung went on to mock Apple for such a decision, only for it to ditch its own headphone jacks starting with the Galaxy Note 10 in 2019. 

Apple's decision to remove chargers and wired EarPods from its phone packaging was based on the number of users who already have such accessories, and also with a view to prevent electronic waste. This isn't foolproof however; to make the most of your new iPhone, you'll want a 20W charger, which is being sold separately for $19/£19.

Galaxy S21

(Image credit: Samsung Carribean)

Also, the cable included in the iPhone 12 box has a USB-C connector. Since all existing iPhone chargers, except for the 18W fast chargers sold with the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, use USB-A connectors, you'll probably have to use an old cable or buy a new charger anyway.

It's not all good news for Samsung though. The iPhone 12 still has a lot of exciting features, including camera improvements, tough Ceramic Shield displays, 5G connectivity, and new sizes, including the tiny iPhone 12 mini and the fully equipped iPhone 12 Pro Max.

A previous leak revealed that we shouldn't expect upgrades to the Galaxy S21's charging block. That'll mean 25W for the basic models but 45W for the S21 Ultra.

We're expecting the Galaxy S21 to arrive in February next year. Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 begins pre-orders today for its two 6.1-inch models, with the smaller and larger versions going on sale in November.

Richard Priday
Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.