By several accounts, it looks like people who buy the 2020 iPhone, the rumored Apple iPhone 12, will be paying extra if they want a new pair of EarPods and a charger. This is new territory for Apple customers in the US.
Everything we know and have discussed about the iPhone 12 is based on rumors and speculation. Apple has yet to announce a 2020 flagship smartphone, and the iPhone SE from earlier this year doesn't really count. However, the numerous leaks and rumors about the company's plans for this device are from proven sources with insider knowledge and, frankly, it doesn't take a prophet to predict Apple's next moves based on the choices it's made around smartphone releases, historically.
The impending reveal of a 2020 iPhone is basically a given, but what's less predictable are the reports that Apple won't ship this phone with a pair of EarPods or a charger. It's a move that can be interpreted in several ways, but regardless of the company's reasoning and whether fans will truly be put off by this decision, it means people who need those accessories will have to buy them separately.
Making a direct comparison, an 18W USB-C power adapter that you'd use for the current iPhones would cost $29 from Apple's website. That 18W is important because the adapters become more expensive as the watts increase (Apple sells a 30W charger for $30, for example) and the same rumors suggesting this phone won't ship with a charger also point to Apple planning a new 20W charger. If that replaces the 18W one, it will likely take on its price point, so that makes it somewhat reasonable to surmise a separate charger will cost $29.
EarPods currently sell for $29 on Apple's store as well, and it's less likely that we'll see an upgraded version of those, since the company wants to push its (admittedly excellent) AirPods instead. Therefore, combining the price of the expected 20W power adapter and a new pair of EarPods, buying those accessories separately from Apple would be $58 before tax. The price would likely be even less from another seller; Amazon, for example, has the 18W charger for $20 right now, from the official Apple seller's page. An extra $60 means different things to different people, but the company is banking on most iPhone 12 users being returning Apple purchasers, and therefore already having such accessories in the first place.
As we've reported previously, it seems like the iPhone 12 will launch at about the same price as the iPhone 11. For a device with the potential for some major upgrades, that's a bit unusual, so it's likely the choice to slim down the package's contents might be, in small part, an attempt to keep the MSRP close to that of the previous phone. The "glass half full" types might want to factor that into the "savings" of not getting new EarPods or a charger.
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