Just a warning here.
No-name chargers can be incredibly hazardous. People have been electrocuted by them when using the phone when charging.
You misunderstood my point. It wasn't to say those chargers should be used instead of Apple OEM chargers, so most of the rest of your post is moot in terms of my making any response.
The pricing on Alibaba is merely the best indicator I can find for what Apple's actual cost-to-produce
might be for their 5W single port bricks. Given Apple's purchasing volumes and power, I think it is reasonable that they could get their costs in that vicinity even while producing better designed and more reliable chargers. Remember, those on Alibaba are the prices to buyers and include profit for the maker, as well as any advertising and other overhead costs that wouldn't necessary be involved with Apple's production of their chargers. Thus I feel it's reasonable to suggest, based on those devices, that Apple's per unit cost is likely well below $1 each, and quite possibly in the 50 to 70 cent range. Again, just an estimate, but one I feel is reasonably likely to be in the ballpark.
That estimate then is meant to show the speciousness of any expectations of Apple "passing on the savings" or even that the cost savings were significant enough to be a major driver in their decision to cease including the 5W brisk. Sure, across volume that does add up - but we're also looking at something on the order of a tenth of a percent of the watch price.
If you have a better potential indicator of what Apple's cost might be, and thus their "savings" of not including the brick, do please post it.
None of this goes against OP's point, that Apple certainly at least risks the perception of cheapness in eliminating the charger. Maybe even worse: they risk an uptick in electrocutions if folks purchase poorly-designed chargers off Alibaba, Amazon or other vendors.
You (and the OP) make the assumption that all watch buyers place value on having the brick included. I suggest, based on my own feeling and the observation of many of the other posts here, that many people simply don't put any value on having the brick included.
Across several watch and phone generations, I can't remember the last time I didn't leave the included brick in the package to later be resold with the device in a year or two or three. Or to go in a drawer if the device is traded w/o the brick. Thus, whether there's a brick in my Apple Watch box or not is immaterial from a received-value perspective simply because its inclusion provides ZERO value to me. I can't sell it for enough to be worth the bother.
In fact, I actually prefer NOT to receive useless to me single port 5W bricks with stuff. The more devices that eschew the practice the better IMHO. I could argue that there's more value to me in not having to deal with an unwanted and useless to me 5W brick.
You can see from others posts that many people have similar stories and perspectives. As such, I challenge that assumption.
