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Rumor: Slim iPhone 12 packaging suggests no charging brick or EarPods?

Various reports and rumors over the past several months have indicated that the iPhone 12 will not include a charging brick or wired EarPods in the box. A new leak today claims to show how Apple will redesign the iPhone 12 packaging to reduce its overall footprint.

The leak comes via Concepts iPhone, which says the image is from a “really reliable source.” What appears to be showcased here is that the iPhone 12 will be including a Lightning to USB-C cable wrapped up in the box, with a smaller cutout for the small iPhone booklet and (hopefully) Apple stickers. The iPhone itself would presumably rest on top just like it has in the past.

This leak should be treated with some skepticism; it’s hard to know how reliable the source cited here really is. That being said, there is a virtual consensus among supply chain sources that the iPhone 12 will not include the charging brick or EarPods in the box.

For instance, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported last month that Apple wants to sell the iPhone 12 at a similar price to the iPhone 11 and that removing the in-box accessories will offset the added cost of the 5G networking components. In addition to the cost savings, there are environmental benefits as well. Apple can make the packaging smaller, as today’s rumor shows, and there are fewer chargers and EarPods that end up in the trash.

As we’ve mentioned in the past, the Apple Watch Series 3 is notable because it does include the magnetic charging cable, but not the wall plug. With the iPhone 12, Apple is seemingly assuming that everyone will have an extra wall brick and the inclusion of the Lightning cable means first-time iPhone buyers won’t have to buy one separately.

What do you think of this rumor and Apple’s apparent decision to stop including the charging brick and EarPods in the box with the iPhone 12 this year? Let us know down in the comments!

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Avatar for Chance Miller Chance Miller

Chance is an editor for the entire 9to5 network and covers the latest Apple news for 9to5Mac.

Tips, questions, typos to chance@9to5mac.com

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