Electronic device chargers are badly designed
Phone and laptop chargers serve a critical function for us, continually making our evermore attention and energy-absorbing devices available to us.
USB (Universal Serial Bus) chargers are the most widely used tool to power our devices, with a global market value of approx. USD 29 Bn in 2023. Not surprisingly, this market is expected to grow at an approx. 6.4 to 6.8% CAGR (from 2024 to 2030). That is a massive market! And it makes sense since basically all phones and laptops around the world use USB charging.
However, I think that most chargers are badly designed, and beyond product design, I believe there is an opportunity to redesign the entire charging experience (from selection, use and disposal) into the one people deserve.
I will use my charger as an example (Exhibit 1) to talk through the design flaws of USB chargers:
Exhibit 1: Apple 61 Watt USB-C charger.
At times, charger design can interfere with usability. For instance, chargers are often uncomfortable and difficult to store and use, primarily due to cables. Cables that are either too long or too short can complicate their use, detracting from their practicality.
I think chargers have not significantly evolved in terms of human-centered design, despite being an object most of us interact with every day. For example, aesthetically, chargers are cables attached to charging blocks or plugs, and their design has remained largely unchanged for decades. This lack of innovation contrasts with the rise of wireless charging stations, which offer a more modern alternative but have yet to achieve widespread adoption due to their significantly longer charging time (and other issues). The boxy appearance of the charger’s body and the complementary loose wires does little to visually please the user, conveying to them their function as a solely utilitarian object rather than a thoughtfully designed product. This is also evident when considering the complications of physical handling chargers. Chargers often lack consideration for human movement and interaction, as the cables become tangled, and the charging blocks may be bulky, which can frustrate users and detract from their ease of use. Their lack of transportability and highly focused functional design makes chargers a burdensome object that we must use in order to use our electronic devices. As a result, durability is reduced as the materials used in cables and charging blocks are prone to wear and tear from their poorly thought-out design to maximize use, leading to potential safety risks like exposed wires. In terms of materials, although plastic structures offer some degree of safeguarding, they are not as durable as they could be by using other materials such as aluminum. Further, sustainability is another problematic area, as chargers have a substantial environmental footprint due to their mass production, limited recyclability, and use of non-environmentally friendly materials like plastic.
Overall, the static and utilitarian nature of chargers fails to create a remarkable experience.
What do people think?
“Do you genuinely enjoy using your charger?” 0% of the 60 people I have asked answer “yes.”
WHY?
Presentation to Boston-based VCs (MBA class)
However, over 85% of people I have asked, carry a charging device outside their homes.
