Electronic pool product question regarding USB Chargers

[nataddrho]

I'm in the development stage of a new electronic pool product, and since you are all my target customers, this article raises a good question...

$1,000 for selling iPhone without charger: Just the beginning of the nightmare for Apple? - Dazeinfo

Apple is fined for selling iPhone without charger in Brazil. The court has ordered Apple to pay $1,081 to a customer who sued the company

dazeinfo.com

Part of my product requires a standard 5V USB charger. But should I include an off-the-shelf USB charger and a cable with the product, or follow the trend of providing just the cable and asking the consumer to find their own charger.

Since the pool community spans a few generations what are your opinions on this?

 

[Zerksies]

I think it would make sense to include the charger and price the product accordingly

 

[Cuedup]

At this point I have a drawer full of charging blocks. I would choose the less expensive option not including the block.

 

[bbb]

At this point I have a drawer full of charging blocks. I would choose the less expensive option not including the block.

i agree
most people i would think already have items that need usb charges
so they dont need another charger
jmho

 

[justadub]

Virtually all the major cell phone companies have stopped including the charger, sending only the cable, for over a year now. (Yes, there are some models that still come with one, but that is the minority now.) The way it's been spun is a combination of folks already having chargers from previous phones, as well as lessening the environmental impact of sending unnecessary stuff with phones.

As to your question, it's a matter of cost/profit vs customer service/convenience for you. Most folks likely have a way to charge their cell phones now, so how important is it for you to include something that may not be necessary to your customer base? If you forego the charger, just make sure you indicate on the packaging that such a charger will be required and isn't included, so there aren't any surprises.

 

[7stud]

How much will the digiQBall cost? Will it include a scatter plot around a marked aim point? Will I be able to use a MacBook instead of an iPhone?

 

[jtaylor996]

No charger, and make it USB-C if you can.

 

[kling&allen]

I'm in the development stage of a new electronic pool product, and since you are all my target customers, this article raises a good question...

$1,000 for selling iPhone without charger: Just the beginning of the nightmare for Apple? - Dazeinfo

Apple is fined for selling iPhone without charger in Brazil. The court has ordered Apple to pay $1,081 to a customer who sued the company

dazeinfo.com

Part of my product requires a standard 5V USB charger. But should I include an off-the-shelf USB charger and a cable with the product, or follow the trend of providing just the cable and asking the consumer to find their own charger.

Since the pool community spans a few generations what are your opinions on this?

I think it depends on the price of the product. Something that is a few hundred dollars I would expect a charger.

 

[Scratch85]

I am 62. IMO, do not add a charger. USB-C is the right option.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tomatoshooter]

Since chargers are nearly universal, including one is a waste. People likely already have several, plus charging ports in their car, computer, many radios, power outlets, and god know what else.

 

[nataddrho]

How much will the digiQBall cost? Will it include a scatter plot around a marked aim point? Will I be able to use a MacBook instead of an iPhone?

Cost hopefully won’t be too much. Retail must be many times the COG due to logistics and distribution outside of my control so shooting for same price as the DigiCue.

Yes it will include a scatter plot around a marked aim point. Saving your stats to a database with a login for future comparison will be possible after I finish the minimum viable product. For now I need to keep features simple until I finish all manufacturing tasks.

Currently the app works for Android and iPhone, but since I used Flutter as a code base I can extend it to iMac, Windows and Linux with the use of a separate BLE receiver dongle just like I did for DigiCue. Native BLE on computer systems still isn’t mature in 2023 which is surprising.

 

[kling&allen]

Cost hopefully won’t be too much. Retail must be many times the COG due to logistics and distribution outside of my control so shooting for same price as the DigiCue.

Yes it will include a scatter plot around a marked aim point. Saving your stats to a database with a login for future comparison will be possible after I finish the minimum viable product. For now I need to keep features simple until I finish all manufacturing tasks.

Currently the app works for Android and iPhone, but since I used Flutter as a code base I can extend it to iMac, Windows and Linux with the use of a separate BLE receiver dongle just like I did for DigiCue. Native BLE on computer systems still isn’t mature in 2023 which is surprising.

At that price point I wouldn't expect a charger. Sounds like a neat product.

 

[measureman]

 

[SSP]

I'm in the development stage of a new electronic pool product, and since you are all my target customers, this article raises a good question...

$1,000 for selling iPhone without charger: Just the beginning of the nightmare for Apple? - Dazeinfo

Apple is fined for selling iPhone without charger in Brazil. The court has ordered Apple to pay $1,081 to a customer who sued the company

dazeinfo.com

Part of my product requires a standard 5V USB charger. But should I include an off-the-shelf USB charger and a cable with the product, or follow the trend of providing just the cable and asking the consumer to find their own charger.

Since the pool community spans a few generations what are your opinions on this?

If your product has a charger that is higher than a "NORMAL" phone charger I would include it, are you going to use USB C to charge it? If so then make the cable separate from the charge block using USBC to mini USBC that is what most androids use.

 

[nataddrho]

View attachment 692491

I like it.

 

[pw98]

I'm in the development stage of a new electronic pool product, and since you are all my target customers, this article raises a good question...

$1,000 for selling iPhone without charger: Just the beginning of the nightmare for Apple? - Dazeinfo

Apple is fined for selling iPhone without charger in Brazil. The court has ordered Apple to pay $1,081 to a customer who sued the company

dazeinfo.com

Part of my product requires a standard 5V USB charger. But should I include an off-the-shelf USB charger and a cable with the product, or follow the trend of providing just the cable and asking the consumer to find their own charger.

Since the pool community spans a few generations what are your opinions on this?

Dont worry about it. They only sued apple because they are apple and have money. You are a pool company so you dont have anything to sue for. Plus you live in USA right? Its not like a brazil court or some other 3rd world country can put a lein on your property here or jail you for not paying or showing up to court date.

 

[iusedtoberich]

Since it’s a CB, can you eliminate the corded charger entirely and use inductive charging instead?

 

[BRussell]

Best option: Sell a charger as an optional add-on (probably not feasible)
Second best option: Sell without a charger, clearly say it has no charger, and make it clear exactly what type of charger works

 

[jimmyco]

Include a charger, but one like a Warp charger that will charge from 0-100% in less than one hour.

 

[justnum]

Can you just put an adapter for direct power supply? USB interfaces are costly.