Apple has seemingly confirmed its intentions to remove its wired EarPods from iPhone packaging from the iPhone 12, in a bid to both cut costs and reduce unnecessary waste.
According to a new code tweak in iOS 14.2, Apple has confirmed that the next generation of iPhones will come without earphones in the box. Previously, Apple mentions reducing exposure to RF energy by using the “supplied headphones,” but from iOS 14.2, the word supplied has been removed from the statement, all-but-confirming previous rumors.
“To reduce exposure to RF energy, use a hands-free option, such as the built-in speakerphone, headphones, or other similar accessories,” Apple says.
Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously suggested that the iPhone 12 will come without EarPods in the box. Apple, instead, will run a new promotion on its AirPods and AirPods Pro models to encourage users to upgrade to the company’s wireless alternative.
Others have said that Apple will also remove the power adapter from the iPhone 12 box, meaning that users will only get a new device and a USB-C to Lightning cable in the box.
Apple made the first move when it removed the power adapter from the Apple Watch Series 6 box, demonstrating the firm’s commitment to reducing environmental waste.
It’s believed that only a small percentage of iPhone users use the supplied EarPods, with most favoring wireless alternatives, whereas the power adapter has been offered every year since the first iPhone, so most iPhone users already have a range of adapters kicking around their homes.
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