Apple Lowers Price of EarPods by $10 Now That They Aren't Included With iPhones

Apple today introduced its iPhone 12 lineup, and as was rumored, all four models ship without EarPods or a power adapter in the box. Starting today, the iPhone 11, iPhone XR, and iPhone SE will no longer include these accessories either.

earpods lower price
Apple's website encourages customers to use their existing Apple power adapter and headphones or buy these accessories separately, and to help offset the cost, Apple has now lowered the price of its EarPods with a Lightning connector from $29 to $19. Apple's new 20W power adapter for iPhones also retails for $19, down from $29 for its now-discontinued 18W power adapter that was included with the iPhone 11 lineup until now.

Apple touted the environmental benefits of no longer including EarPods or a power adapter with iPhones, noting that the move reduces carbon emissions and avoids the mining and use of rare-earth elements. iPhone 12 models also ship in a thinner box as a result, with Apple claiming that it can fit 70 percent more iPhone boxes on a single pallet during shipping.

Apple added that many customers have switched to wireless headphones like AirPods, and said there are over two billion Apple power adapters in the world, implying that many customers no longer need these accessories.

Last month, the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE launched without power adapters in the box, so it is no surprise that iPhones have followed suit. However, all iPad models are still bundled with power adapters in the box for now.

Tag: EarPods
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Two Breakthrough Features

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...

Top Rated Comments

max.ine Avatar
67 months ago
Wow. So generous
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
soapropos Avatar
67 months ago
Can't believe these cost $29 to begin with
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
eeboarder Avatar
67 months ago
"For the environment"
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C DM Avatar
67 months ago
Considering they were included with a purchase of an iPhone before, seems like even at $19 it's $19 that is being paid by consumers when they would be purchasing a new iPhone without getting anything for it now.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Donnation Avatar
67 months ago
People just need to stop defending this and realize what this is. Its way for Apple to make more money off of the consumer. Thinking anything other than this is just pure blind fanboyism.

I love Apple products, but this is as greedy as it gets and its honestly pretty low.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
omihek Avatar
67 months ago
I think they forgot that about 99% of those "2 billion Apple power adapters in the world" are USB-A, which won't work with the new Lightning to USB-C cord shipping with all new iPhones... smh
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)