After the news that France would be the only territory to continue to include EarPods with the iPhone, it seems that Apple is not packing the earbuds within the iPhone's box (via iGeneration).
The French iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro does not have a different retail box to accommodate EarPods, meaning that all iPhone boxes are consistent worldwide. Since the new iPhone boxes are slimmer without a tray for EarPods or a power adapter below the iPhone, in France the EarPods are in the bottom of a separate box that is large enough to also contain the standard iPhone's box. The additional box appears to be much larger than the new, slimmed-down iPhone boxes.
Apple is continuing to include EarPods with iPhones in France due to legal obligations. French law demands that manufacturers provide a hands-free accessory with smartphones due to concerns about the effect of electromagnetic waves on the brains.
In addition to the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro, the iPhone 11, iPhone XR, and iPhone SE no longer include EarPods outside of France.
Apple's website encourages customers to use their existing Apple power adapter and headphones or buy these accessories separately, and Apple has now lowered the price of its EarPods with a Lightning connector from $29 to $19.
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.
