Samsung's Galaxy S21, coming in 2021, may not include a power adapter or headphones in the box, according to reports from Korean media sites highlighted by SamMobile.
Rumors earlier this year also said that Samsung was considering removing these accessories from future smartphone models, but that didn't stop Samsung from mocking Apple for selling the iPhone 12 models without a power adapter or EarPods.
Apple's iPhone 12 models ship with just a USB-C to Lightning cable. When announcing the change, Apple said that the accessories were eliminated for environmental reasons, but there has been speculation that Apple removed the power adapter and EarPods to cut costs due to the expense of the 5G modems used in the new iPhone lineup.
With a major competitor no longer offering accessories like power adapters and EarPods, Samsung too may want to save some cash by selling accessories on the side rather than including them with smartphones. Korean sources suggest that the power adapter and headphones could be removed across the entire S21 lineup, though there is a chance that Samsung will offer the power adapter while removing the headphones.
Samsung has in the past mocked Apple's design and product decisions before doing the exact same thing. When Apple removed the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 in 2016, for example, Samsung made fun of the iPhone before turning around and removing the headphone jack from the 2018 Galaxy S8.
Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie.
"Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Monday February 9, 2026 6:24 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future.
To set up the...
New MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips could arrive as soon as Monday, March 2, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the release of new MacBook Pro models is tied to the release of macOS Tahoe 26.3. The launch is said to be slated for as early as the week of March 2. He added that the M4 Pro and M4 Max models on sale today...
I wonder how long until the first lawsuit because someone bought a crappy no-brand charger from a mall kiosk and it caught fire, burning down their house.
At least by including a charger with every phone, Apple and Samsung ensure that most people are using a high quality charger. Now everyone who buys a new phone will have to buy a charger if they don't have one, and you know people will go for the cheapest garbage that does the job.
Samsung's marketing strategy is just embarrassing. Since it's so predictable, how is it actually effective? You think they would've given up the "mock, then copy" formula. Surely anyone can see through it by this point.
Predictions: Sep. 2021 - Apple removes all ports from the iPhone. Oct. 2021 - Samsung mocks their decision. 2022 - Samsung removes all ports in the new Galaxy phone.
