iPhone 12 Models Ship in Thinner Box Without EarPods or Charger

As expected, the entire iPhone 12 lineup ships without EarPods or a power adapter in the box, with only a Lightning to USB-C charging cable included. Apple touted the environmental benefits of no longer bundling these accessories, noting that the move reduces carbon emissions and avoids the mining and use of rare-earth elements.

With these accessories removed, iPhone 12 models ship in a thinner box, as seen below.

iphone 12 box
"As part of our efforts to reach our environmental goals, iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini do not include a power adapter or EarPods," reads Apple's website, with a similar message shown for the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. "Please use your current Apple power adapter and headphones, or purchase these accessories separately."

Last month, the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE launched without chargers in the box, so it is no surprise that iPhones have followed suit. Starting today, the iPhone SE, iPhone 11, and iPhone XR also ship without EarPods or a charger in the box. In contrast, iPads are still bundled with power adapters in the box for now.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says These 7 U.S. States Plan to Offer iPhone Driver's Licenses

Monday February 9, 2026 6:24 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

New MacBook Pros Could Now Arrive in March

Sunday February 8, 2026 6:02 am PST by
New MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips could arrive as soon as Monday, March 2, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the release of new MacBook Pro models is tied to the release of macOS Tahoe 26.3. The launch is said to be slated for as early as the week of March 2. He added that the M4 Pro and M4 Max models on sale today...

Top Rated Comments

bobdobalina Avatar
70 months ago
If you think not supplying a charger reduces carbon, imagine how much not buying a new phone will help.

[quietly buys new iPhone]
Score: 62 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sk8mash Avatar
70 months ago
Surely I’m not the only person that doesn’t have a single USB-C charger...
Score: 60 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppliedMicro Avatar
70 months ago
Apple: Millions, billions of chargers sold and in use around the world. Removing the included charger from new phones.

Also Apple: Ships USB-C to Lightning cable in every box that doesn't work with 99% of chargers in the world.
Score: 54 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NachoGrande Avatar
70 months ago
but then when I order my charger off of Amazon it will come is a giant box. :rolleyes:



Attachment Image
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RiddlaBronc Avatar
70 months ago
Lol@ environment concern
More like increasing margins.
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johnnytravels Avatar
70 months ago
Called it: ”commitment to the environment“
Sure...
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)