Video shows French iPhone 12’s cumbersome packaging

That means not only does the new iPhone 12 ship sans these accessories, the iPhone 11, XR, and SE also come without them now.

Apple’s reasoning is that there are many chargers out there already, and people are shifting to wireless accessories anyway, so it makes no environmental sense to include wired earphones and charging brick with its phones any longer. The removal of these accessories has also enabled the company to trim the retail boxes, which is being touted as another environmental win. 

Whether you buy this logic or not, you will now have to buy these accessories separately if you don’t already own them or get a wireless alternative, such as Apple’s AirPods.

France is one country where Apple is still required to include EarPods with its phones. The country encourages the use of headphones to protect consumers, particularly children, from electromagnetic radiation.

The iPhone 12 comes in a relatively larger box in the country, according to the French YouTube channel TheiCollection (via iGeneration). The retail package has a smaller box inside which contains the phone and the USB-C-to-Lightning charging cable. Beneath that box, you find the EarPods. 

Even in France, you don’t get a power adapter with the phone.

Apple continues to sell wired accessories across the world and if it is any consolation, their prices have been reduced.