Apple has confirmed it no longer provides customers with complimentary EarPods in the box with every iPhone sold in France, citing the environmental benefits of having a thinner iPhone box thanks to the lack of a charger and earphones.
In an update on Apple's French website, the company no longer states that EarPods will be included in the box for any of its iPhones. Apple now lists only the iPhone itself and a USB-C to Lightning cable.
Earlier in the month, notices posted by French carriers indicated that starting January 24, Apple would no longer include EarPods in the box with iPhones sold in France. Under previous French law, Apple was lawfully obligated to include EarPods in the box based on the precautionary principle, because the risks of exposing developing brains to electromagnetic waves are not clearly known.
Newly passed law in the country no longer requires that smartphones makers such as Apple and Samsung include headphones in the box. Instead, they must ensure compatible headphones are available separately as an optional accessory.
Apple removed EarPods and the power adapter from all iPhone boxes starting with the iPhone 12 in 2020. Apple's decision has been controversial in several countries, with the tech giant facing a fine of $2 million in Brazil.
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3.
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The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past.
The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC.
It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent.
A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched in September. macOS Sequoia 15.4 comes two months after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3.
Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15.
With...
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance.
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Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect.
The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design.
It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information.
Relocated Charging Port
While the Magic Mouse switched from...
Cut to an overly produced clip of some environmental czar/VP standing near some solar panels on top of the empty Apple Offices saying how great this is.
While I get and don’t necessarily disagree. It does sting when items are removed with no reduction of price.
When Apple sells 200 million iPhones every year... that's 200 million pairs of EarPods that they would need to include in every box.
And I bet most of those EarPods never get used or even taken out of the box. That's what Apple is trying to prevent.
If they don't need to manufacture 200 million pairs of EarPods every year... those factories could possibly be used to make something else that people do want. Who knows.
As for removing items but keeping the price the same... we simply don't know Apple's costs for components.
Maybe the $1 or $2 reduction from removing the EarPods from the box is offset by a $1 or $2 increase in cost of some other component.
Who knows. I honestly don't care.
I've already spent more time typing this comment than I ever spent worrying about the included EarPods.
Now excuse me... I've got to organize my drawer of dozens of MicroUSB cables that came with every little gadget I've ever purchased...
Curious to know how much it cost Apple to have the VP stand up on the roof. Pretty sure they had to use some sort of a crane ??
I don’t know a modern building that doesn’t provide easy walkable access to the roof. (Though, many are secured by locks… nothing I know about, of course, just from what a friend told me). :)
