Apple slashes the price of the two accessories it has removed from the iPhone box

As expected, Apple yesterday announced that it will no longer include a charging adapter and the wired EarPods (with Lightning connector) in the box with the iPhone. This will be the case certainly with the iPhone 12 series, but will also include the iPhone 11, iPhone XR, and iPhone SE. The company portrays this as an environmental move to reduce carbon emissions by an amount equivalent to taking 450,000 automobiles off of the highways during a single year. The move also allows Apple to reduce the size of an iPhone box so that 70% more product fits on a pallet.

Still, there are some who see this as a profit generator for Apple. There will always be a number of consumers who will buy the latest 20W power adapter even if they own the 18W brick that came in the box last year with the iPhone 11 Pro models. And the lack of EarPods in the box might be a win-win for the company. That’s because someone who purchases an iPhone 12 series phone might end up buying the EarPods from Apple or might end up shelling out some cash to purchase a pair of AirPods or AirPods Pro.

Those who see this as a profit grab for Apple might be surprised to hear that according to MacRumors, the firm has priced its new 20W power adapter at $19. That is $10 or 34% lower than the $29 that Apple had been asking for the 18W charger that it has now discontinued. The EarPods are getting a similar price cut from $29 to $19. An improved Lightning to USB-C cable will come in the iPhone box.

During yesterday’s event, Apple noted that it has already distributed two billion power adapters worldwide. Last month, Apple stopped including power adapters with the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE. Right now, Apple continues to include power adapters with its iPad tablets.

We expect to see those purchasing a new iPhone online get an option on the screen allowing them to add a charger and a pair of EarPods with their iPhone purchase.