Nokia X20 will also ditch the charger in the box

Apple definitely set a trend when it decided to ditch the wall charger in the iPhone 12 box. Samsung and Xiaomi have already followed in their footsteps and Huawei is expected to do so soon as well. It isn't just the big companies, though, as HMD Global seems to be following the trend. The Nokia X20, one of its new affordable phones, won't be coming with one and it could affect how consumers will see the overall cost of the phone.

HMD Global definitely didn't mention that detail when it announced the six new phones in its X, G, C series earlier this month. The Nokia X20 was presented as the higher-end model of the bunch, delivering 5G capability via a Snapdragon 480 5G chipset while carrying a roughly $420 price tag. For a 5G phone, that sounds like a bargain but there was a fine print that wasn't noticed until now.

TechDroider on Twitter called attention to the Nokia X20 product page's boast about the phone's sustainability. The three-year warranty means you won't feel compelled to switch to a better-supported phone in less than two years but new to our ears is that there is no plastic wall charger in the box. That, in addition to the box being 100% compostable, is HMD's way of reducing the company's ecological impact.

That echoes Apple's own reasons for ditching the iPhone 12 charger, a justification that some have actually called into question. Apple and Samsung both argue that many people already have compatible chargers lying around so they don't need to pay for one more. It might not be the same story for HMD Global's customers who might be in the market for their first smartphone.

In other words, that $420 price tag for an entry-level 5G phone might end up being a bit higher because of the need for a charger. Then again, the latter are a dime a dozen, especially in markets that these Nokia phones cater to.