It emerged over the weekend, from a report by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, that Apple was planning to sell the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro without a power adapter or EarPods in the box.
This would significantly reduce the size of the iPhone packaging, saving Apple money on the shipping costs alongside inclusion of a charger. There’s no doubt that Apple will boast about the environmental impact, of which that would be very positive. It could reduce waste and keep carbon emissions down.
Apple is clearly on the full-wireless path and wants to encourage iPhone users to go down that route. We’ve even heard that the 2021 iPhone could ditch Lightning altogether. But this isn’t good for the average consumer. In today’s world, many countries are still lacking on the wireless-charging front. They aren’t in shops, airports and cafes like Apple thinks they are.
Whilst many of us have a handful of power adapters and chargers, it’s better to have more than less. A backup is always handy when travelling, and more recent power adapters can charge the devices quicker.
I agree with the removal of the EarPods – Apple wants to encourage the sales of AirPods, and with possible special offers, this is a good move. The future of audio is certainly wireless. But by removing the charger, Apple is moving a step too far. At best, the power adapter should be an optional feature at half the price of purchasing it separately. At worst, it will stay the same price for anybody, and won’t come included in the box.
