In the wake of Apple's recent announcement about the new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, you may have been so excited about your new phone that you didn't hear that the company is making a big change that has some customers outraged. Sure, the new phones come with the largest display ever on an iPhone, a more durable front cover, and new technology that offers protection against everyday spills. Yes, there's better photo quality, faster download and upload speed, higher quality video streaming, and a longer battery life. But there are two things your new iPhone won't come with: a wall charger or headphones. Read on to find out why and what you need to know if you're buying an iPhone soon. And for another major change from Apple, check out Apple Just Discontinued This Popular Phone.
Why is Apple doing away with these accessories?
Apple is framing this as part of the company's drive towards sustainability. "Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations and, by 2030, plans to have net zero climate impact across the entire business, which includes manufacturing supply chains and all product life cycles," the company said in the announcement.
And that goal means removing unnecessary items from the phone packaging. Doing away with the power adaptor and earbuds means fewer carbon emissions, less mining of precious materials and a reduction in box size, which allows 70 percent more of them to be shipped on a pallet.
"Taken altogether, these changes will cut over 2 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually, equivalent to removing nearly 450,000 cars from the road per year," Apple notes. And for another brand making a big change for the sake of the environment, find out What You'll Never See in a Lego Box Set Again.
Can I still use my old charger with my new iPhone?
Nope. If you have one of those small square white chargers from Apple (called a brick) that has an ordinary USB plug on it (called a USB-A)—pictured here—you won't be able to use that with the new cable Apple provides with the iPhone 12 models, CNBC notes. The new phones will ship with a USB-C to lightning cable, but previous phones used USB-A to lightning cables.
If you've gotten a newer iPad or Mac, they use similar USB-C to lightning cable plugs, so you may already have one at home.
What do I need to charge my new iPhone?
You can always plug your new iPhone into your computer to charge. But if you don't want to do that and don't have a more recent charger from Apple, you'll have to buy a new wall plug that's compatible with the iPhone 12's cable: Apple's $20 20-watt iPhone plug. Other brands sell similar chargers for comparable prices or a little less.
Your other option is to buy Apple's new MagSafe wireless charger, which uses "magnets [that] align themselves perfectly every time for faster wireless charging." That will cost you $39.
Which iPhones are affected?
The changes are going to apply retrospectively to other iPhones still on the market direct from Apple. iPhone XR, iPhone 11 and the 2020 iPhone SE will now ship with just the phone and the USB-C to lightning cable in the box.
If you're interested in upgrading, both new iPhone 12 models are due for release Oct. 23 and can be pre-orderd from Apple now, with some network providers also offering pre-order and upgrade deals. And if you're looking to save a little money on your phone expenses, This Is the Best Way to Lower Your Cell Phone Bill, Experts Say.
John Quinn John Quinn is a London-based writer and editor who specializes in lifestyle topics.Read moreFiled UnderNews • Tech and GadgetsRead This NextApple Has Discontinued This Popular Phone
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