Xiaomi Charger
A Xiaomi charger of the type that ships in India. CEO Lei Jun wants people to consider buying ones separately only if they need it, so he can stop bundling chargers along with every smartphone the company sells. IBT Media Inc./Harichandan Arakali

Xiaomi Corp. CEO Lei Jun is considering the viability of shipping smartphones without their chargers, to "protect the environment," Xiaomi Today reported Wednesday.

Lei has asked followers of his page on the social media site Weibo to give their feedback, the online news portal reported, citing his comments on the page.

“To protect the environment, we want to try this little experiment with smart devices. What do you think,” he wrote. “Most devices ship with standard chargers, and people have a bunch of them lying around in their table drawers,” Lei said on his page, Tuesday evening. For those who demand chargers, Xiaomi would offer one for 9.9 yuan ($1.6), he added.

The comments in English are based on a Google translation of Lei’s original comments in Chinese on Weibo.

Many, however, see the move as one that would save costs for Xiaomi, the news site said, citing replies to Lei’s post. Xiaomi is known for having built a strong following for its handsets by offering high-end features at significantly lower prices than established companies such as Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., at razor-thin margins.

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